


Galaxy Girl

by wicked17writer



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor - Fandom
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Darcy Lewis-centric, Epic, F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kid Fic, Kid Peter Quill, Mild Language, Parent-Child Relationship, Powers!Darcy, References to Drugs, Superpowers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-12-15
Packaged: 2021-02-08 06:14:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 39,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21471367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wicked17writer/pseuds/wicked17writer
Summary: At age 5, Darcy gets abducted by the Ravagers alongside Peter Quill in 1988.Also, she unexpectedly has a superpower. But it's a pretty basic one and she's still a vulnerable impressionable child, now in the clutches of Yondu and the Ravager crew, who weren't even after her in the first place!Can she endear herself to the crew? Carve out an identity devoid of Ravager influence? Can she ever go home to Earth? Does she even want to?More epic than it sounds, I promise. Set in Marvel Canon Universe. Post-Guardians of the Galaxy movie.
Relationships: Darcy Lewis & Avengers Team, Darcy Lewis & Kraglin, Darcy Lewis & Peter Quill, Darcy Lewis & Ravagers Crew, Darcy Lewis & Yondu Udonta, Darcy Lewis/?
Comments: 60
Kudos: 148





	1. Chapter 1 – Alien Abduction

Galaxy Girl 

Chapter 1 – Alien Abduction

_1988_  
_St. Charles, Missouri _  
_Peter Quill Age 8 & Darcy Age 5 _

Auntie Meredith was sick. Really sick. Everyone was so sad, especially Peter. He was currently sitting in the chair next to her with his walkman on, ignoring her and everything else. Darcy really didn’t know what to say to him to make him feel better. His Grandpa came out and knelt down by them saying, “Peter, you’re mama wants to speak with you.” 

“He can’t hear you.” Darcy told him helpfully. Grandpa Quill was a really nice guy; he smiled at her and ruffled her hair affectionately. 

He turned back to Peter and removed the ear phones mumbling, “Take these fool things off.” He patted Peter on the leg and packed the walkman in his backpack as Peter got to his feet. The boy looked scared. 

Darcy grabbed his hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. “It’ll be okay.” 

“Thanks squirt.” Peter didn’t smile but when he looked at her he squeezed her hand back before shaking her off to walk into the hospital room to talk to his mom. 

Her own mother spoke in a curt tone and wore an annoyed expression. “Darcy, stay put. And don’t take everything out of your bag again.” Those were her parting words before she left disappearing down a hallway shivering slightly as she pulled her denim jacket closer around her boney frame. Her mom looked almost as bad as Meredith did, but Darcy knew her mom’s problems were all self-inflicted, whilst Auntie Meredith’s were just bad luck.

Darcy had packed a bag because she was going to be staying with Peter and Grandpa Quill for the foreseeable future because her mom was going to prison tomorrow. Probably because of this, her mom had been short tempered with her all day. She’d become very angry with Darcy when she’d dumped her bag out on the floor to reach her My Little Pony doll while her mom was talking to an orderly, when they’d first arrived. When she turned her attention back to Darcy, she’d screamed at her and even spanked her hard on the tushie in front of all the people in the lobby. 

Darcy had been so embarrassed and had cried out but quickly stifled herself when her mom glared at her with a dangerous look in her eye. She’d repacked her bag and followed her mother obediently, subtly brushing away her silent tears. Her mom didn’t understand that it was her Auntie Meredith that had gotten her the pony doll. It was a treasured toy and she had wanted to show off how well she’d taken care of it. Since it was the last time she’d seen Auntie Meredith until they met again in heaven.

She’d been practically thrown into a chair next to a sullen and silent Peter; her mother wore a scowl as she made a beeline for Grandpa Quill to ‘discuss details’. And Darcy tried very hard not to let the tears fall from her eyes as she knew Peter was more sad than anyone at the moment. She couldn’t be blubbering about her mean mommy when Peter’s mommy was dying. That just wasn’t fair.

Peter had always been her hero, he acted as her big brother even though they weren’t actually related; he was as nice to her as possible given their age difference. She knew she annoyed him _sometimes_ but other sometimes he played tea party with her. He’d confided in her that at school he didn’t have a lot of friends and Darcy counted herself special because underneath everything she knew Peter Quill was her best friend and she was his.

Her mom and Peter’s mom were very close growing up but their friendship evolved over the years into something more combative. Her birth had been the catalyst. Peter told her all the time that when she was a baby she was very fussy and would cry all the time, only stopping when Peter held her or was nearby. He also revealed at some point that for her first year of life, he’d never seen Darcy’s mom and neither did Darcy. 

Apparently her mom had dumped newborn baby Darcy on Meredith’s doorstop and split. She’d returned of course, claiming she’d been in rehab the whole time but for Darcy, Meredith would probably always feel more like her mom than Claire Lewis ever did. Darcy’s mom was a drug addict and she’d learnt pretty fast that meant she couldn’t trust or rely on her. 

That was why she was so readily adopted into the Quill’s family when she was a baby and part of the reason why when her mom went back to prison, she was going to stay with Grandpa Quill and Peter. It seemed to Darcy that her mom was mad at her all the time and she was really looking forward to being with the Quills once again. It just stunk that Auntie Meredith wouldn’t be there too.

Seeing her Auntie so sick and knowing she was going to die really soon brought up memories of her daddy. Which just made her even sadder. 

Darcy knew her daddy had been a junkie when she was born and that’s why he wasn’t around in the beginning, but later he told her it was his love for _her_ that got him through the fight with his addiction. She suspected the same would never be said for her mother. Her mother barely tolerated her presence, let alone love her. 

When she was one or so her dad, who’d been unaware she existed, found out about her. He’d told her he’d tried to visit her as a baby, but was rightfully turned away by the Quills. It was only after he had gotten clean, gotten a job as a gamma-biotechnologist for Oscorp, rented a trailer close to the Quill’s property, and proven he was dedicated to changing his life so he could be worthy of being her daddy, that Meredith relented and let them be together. 

She’d lived alone with her dad until she was four-ish, but it never really felt like that as Meredith and Peter remained prominent figures in her life. Living with her dad…that had been home. With him she’d felt loved, safe, and happy. Not that her time with the Quills hadn’t provided those things, it had. It was just, there was something special about being loved by the man who was her _real_ family instead of being the ‘surprise addition’ as Auntie Meredith liked to say.

When her_real_ mom had shown back up that’s when everything went to heck. 

Her mom moved in with her and daddy, but she didn’t seem to like anything. The closer her parents became, the more alone time in the trailer they needed for ‘grown up stuff’. This inevitably led to her spending more time at the Quill house. Which honestly, she didn’t mind. It was only when her daddy started acting like her mom that it became an issue.

She had been really disappointed about her mom and daddy getting back together. Auntie Meredith and her daddy had been getting closer and closer and she and Peter had wanted them to get married so they could be real family so bad! Darcy sometimes thought that maybe she did something or said something that tipped off to her mom how she felt her arrival had spoiled everything. After all, her mom had to dislike her for a reason. Darcy just wasn’t able to figure out what that reason was, at least not yet.

Meredith broke the news to her. Her mom and daddy were sick. They were addicts and her daddy had taken too much drugs and died. Darcy couldn’t understand why her mom had lived and her daddy had died. She couldn’t understand how her daddy could be healthy for so long, only to fall apart when her mom reappeared. It was after her daddy’s death that Darcy stopped trying to get her mom to love her. 

Peter had stood by her side and let her cry on his shoulder at the funeral, and several days after that. She was little and her daddy’s loss was so big that sometimes she felt like the sadness would swallow her up and it was all she was ever going to feel. But most of the time she was able to distract herself, with school, with toys, or TV. She could go long stretches without thinking of him at all and then someone would bring him up and her heart would stop for a second and all the sadness would fill her up again. 

She moved into the Quill house for a while, but then her mom showed up demanding to take Darcy home. She claimed she had changed since her father’s death and she wanted to be a good mom.

She wasn’t. 

Claire Lewis was still a junkie. Darcy saw her from time to time, grinding little pills and snorting them. Or putting a needle in between her toes. Things she knew meant her mom was still on drugs. Meanly, Darcy hoped she’d OD like her daddy so she could go back to live with Meredith and Peter, but stubbornly her mother survived. 

When Auntie Meredith’s health took a turn for the worse, Claire offered to move in and care for Peter. Meredith had politely declined and luckily for her and Peter both, Grandpa Quill had stepped up and volunteered to take them both on once her mom got arrested again. 

When Auntie Meredith’s disease got so bad she lived at the hospital, her mom got caught stealing drugs. Darcy had thought it was odd how often her mom went out of the way to drive her to the hospital so she could see Auntie Meredith, but the arrest kind of put it all into perspective. Her mom did not do nice things just to be nice, there was always a reason.

The last eight months alone with her mom had been terrible, what with her dad dead and Auntie Meredith sick, everyone was so wrapped up in caring for her and Peter, no one had really noticed how bad things had gotten for Darcy. She’d lost weight, barely had any friends at school anymore, and in fact had missed so many days of kindergarten letters had been sent home about it. Not that her mom cared. 

Being away from her mom, to Darcy, was a dream come true. And she knew Grandpa Quill was eager to have her move in with him as well. She’d over heard him and Auntie Meredith talking about Peter on one of her visits to the hospital. 

Peter was getting into lots of fights at school, he wasn’t talking to the grownups about how he felt, and they were worried about him. Both were hopeful that Darcy’s presence would have a positive effect on him. She was skeptical she could actually help him, but knew from her own experience that being sad and alone was slightly worse than being sad and with someone who loved you. 

“Aren’t you adorable?” A passing nurse commented as she made her pony gallop across the chair. Darcy grinned up at the woman. “Thank you. I know.” 

Sometime later she grew bored. Packing away her toy, her eyes drifted over to the door to Meredith’s room. If she was being honest, Auntie Meredith looked scary now. She snuck up to the door, it was open but she tried to be quiet so no one would notice her as she listened from the outside. 

Auntie Meredith had lost all her hair and it made Darcy sad, she loved it when the older woman had let her play beauty salon and brush her long blonde hair. Now, her head was round and her eyes look sunken in and they were surrounded by dark purpling skin. She looked like death and Darcy once again wished her mom and Meredith could just swap places. 

Darcy’s eyes flickered over to Peter as he stared down at his mom. She didn’t see her daddy before he died, when he was at his worst. She wondered if that was better or not. 

“Your grandpa is gonna take such good care of you, at least until your daddy comes back to get you.” Meredith softly told Peter.

“Take my hand.” Meredith plead, “Peter.” 

“Pete, come on.” Grandpa Quill encouraged as Peter turned away from the sight of his sick mother. 

“Peter, take my hand.” Meredith asked again. When the life support monitor beeped shrilly, Darcy knew something was wrong. She began to cry.

Peter freaked out shouting and screaming, “No! No. NO! NOOOOOOOOOO. NO!” 

Grandpa Quill had to remove him from the room and Darcy flattened herself to the wall outside the room. He begged Peter, “You’ve got to stay here. Please? Okay.” Then he turned and went back to Meredith’s side, not even noticing her. 

Darcy rushed to Peter’s side and grabbed him up in a hug. “I’m sorry Peter. I’m so sorry.” 

He stood there stiffly for a few moments allowing her to console him, and then it was like he was electrocuted into movement. He brushed her arms off and turned running full steam for the exit. 

“Peter!” Darcy ran after him. “Wait!” 

He didn’t slow in the slightest as he shouted at her over his shoulder, “Don’t follow me Darcy!”

He made it to the doors and then he made it outside. Darcy was far behind him, but she kept chasing. In her mind all she could think was ‘don’t let Peter be alone when he’s sad’. When she reached the exit she found that while inside the sun had set. The world was now bathed in darkness and a light fog was covering the ground making everything appear scary and creepy. She hesitated at the doors. 

“Peter!” Darcy called out in a frightened voice. She could hear the sound of his crying and heavy footsteps, but she couldn’t see where he was running too. When he finally stopped falling onto his knees to cry in the moist grass, not too _too_ far away from the hospital parking lot, she started jogging towards him. 

She called out his name so he would know she was still there. That he wasn’t alone. “Peter. Peter! Peter!” 

When she reached him he didn’t even look up. He remained on the ground hunched over and crying and she didn’t blame him one bit. She remembered how she was when her daddy died and her heart broke for Peter, he was such a good guy he didn’t deserve this. Neither of them did.

She dropped down onto the ground with him and put her arm over his shoulder, hugging him. She pet his hair as he cried and he cried with him. Meredith Quill had been her mom in the ways that really counted. Knowing she was gone just like her daddy, just felt so unfair. And it hurt so much. 

He grabbed her pink Barbie jacket in his fists and pulled her closer, gasping, “She’s dead.”

She opened her mouth to reply but just then a bright light shined down on them from the sky. They both looked up but had to raise their hands to shield their eyes. She thought it was a helicopter, that maybe Grandpa Quill called in the Coast Guard to find them and now they would be sad _and_ in trouble.

But it wasn’t a helicopter. Or a plane. Or a hot air balloon. It was something…else. 

“AAAAHHHH!” She cried out in surprise and terror. It looked giant robot was coming at them.

When a light shot out from the robot and they were engulfed in a swirl of neon lights that tingled and jerked them upwards like being sucked up by a vacuum, they both screamed.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
When Darcy opened her eyes she wished she hadn’t. 

She and Peter were surrounded by monsters. 

There was a man with blue skin and a red fin on his head, one with purple vein-y skin, one with burns all over his face, one with weird raised ridges and sickly looking yellow skin and a long brown beard, and a bunch of other scary looking monsters. And weirdly just one guy who looked normal but kind of dirty and in need of a toothbrush. Still, the group collectively looked scary and grimy and like they would fit in as extras during that bar scene with Han Solo from the Star Wars movie Peter liked so much. 

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” Her scream was piercing and loud and she all but dug her nails into Peters arm as they scrambled backwards and away from the group that stood before them. 

“Oh my god.” Peter whispered. “We’re being abducted by aliens.” 

“Aliens?” She squeaked, “They look more like monsters to me!”

The aliens in question looked annoyed by her scream and they began to talk amongst themselves, but they weren’t speaking a language that sounded familiar so neither she nor Peter understood them. 

“Eosyck osdu aoiien.”  
“Ioic. Cioiwue. Aoicc, aitaer!”  
“Tranisd?”  
“Kraglin, masdiu iaent poie, oopzen.”

When the human looking one moved closer to them Darcy tensed up and let out another scream. “AAAAAHHHH!”

The guy grabbed her arm and tried to pull her away from Peter, but she held onto the strap of his backpack tightly not willing to be separated from her friend. 

“Darcy!” Peter jumped to his feet and grabbed her other arm, pulling on her. The guy huffed and wrapped an arm around her middle, lifting her off her feet.

“PETER!” Darcy began to cry as panic sank in. She kicked her legs wildly hoping to kick the guy somewhere sensitive and shook her head from side to side hitting him in the face with her frizzy hair. The man let out a grunt at her actions, obviously annoyed but undamaged. She however took it as a sign that she wasn’t powerless. 

Aware she was still tearfully crying, she tried to put anger into her voice and she increased the intensity of her flailing limbs screaming, “Let go of me you ALIEN POOP HEAD MONSTER MAN!” 

To her surprise, he actually dropped her. 

Peter dragged her back to him and wrapped his arms around her clavicle and stomach. Pressing her back to his chest as they stared down their otherworldly abductors. The guy who had tried to separate them was clutching his private area and had a pained look on his face. Several of the aliens looked to be laughing at the guy. He gave Darcy a dirty look and advanced again, but the blue fin guy whistled and he stopped. 

He then said something loud and pointed at Darcy. This caused the crowd to grumble and they began talking back and forth with the blue guy. She hunched her shoulders and tried to shrink into Peter’s hold as the group of rogues began to bicker amongst themselves. 

“They’re gonna kill me.” She whispered, “They’re fighting about who gets to do it.”

“No. They’re not going to kill you.” Peter grit out, “Not without going through me first.” He let go of her, and pulled her behind him, standing tall and in front of her like he was some great protector. 

Touched as she was by his chivalrous gesture, she couldn’t help but furrow her brow as she pointed out, “Peter, you’re 8 and I love you, but there are like 20 evil aliens right now. And theys probably is fighting about who gets to rip off my head and eat it firs.” 

“I won’t let them.” Peter said resolutely. “And don’t exaggerate, there’s only like 9 evil aliens. Don’t worry, I’ll—I’ll think of something.” 

“We are so gonna get eated.” Darcy groused. 

The blue skinned guy with the red fin on his head seemed bored by the argument. He let out a loud whistle and said something that silenced the crowd. Darcy guessed from their obedience that blue skinned fin guy was their leader. 

“I think he’s in charge.” Darcy whispered, she gripped Peter’s shoulders and pointed at the alien.

“Duh.” Peter muttered in that dismissive voice he used whenever he lorded the wisdom he had over her due to his three years more of life experience. She scowled and poked him in the side with one finger. He made a noise of displeasure but didn’t mention it otherwise. 

Darcy went back to gripping the straps of his backpack, holding onto him might impede whatever ninja move he would stupidly try in an effort to save her, but she still felt the need to be connected to him somehow. Besides she was scared and if she wasn’t holding on to Peter for dear life, she’d probably be screaming her face off. 

Just like with her daddy and Meredith’s death, if she was going to look heck in the face, she was glad she wasn’t doing it alone. 

The leader eyed them speculatively, then pointed out to three of his fellow aliens issuing orders, or at least that’s what it sounded like according to his tone of voice. One of the aliens sighed and grunted something before leaving the room followed by two others. 

Darcy’s eyes tracked the movement and she held her breath as she took a second to look around the room they were in. Everything was made of metal, the walls, the ceiling, the floor. They were trapped; the only way out of the room was the hallway the three aliens had just used. 

The leader approached them slowly, he raised his hands as if to say, ‘hey, I’m not going to hurt you’ and then he lifted a flap on his coat like cops did on TV, to show you their guns or badges. 

And then he whistled. 

An arrow at his side glowed red on one end and then it floated into the air. It was like magic and Darcy instinctively leaned in closer. A line of glowing red mist trailed after end of the arrow like pixie dust following in Tinkerbell’s wake. Despite the fear, she smiled at the sight.

The guy continued to whistle and the arrow flew in the air before them in a spiral pattern. It was magic, real magic! Maybe how these alien monsters looked on the outside wasn’t who they were on the inside, maybe they were just being prejudice like the people who didn’t like Martin Luther King Jr. and all the black people. She’d been learning about ‘prejudice’ in school and thought people who didn’t like people based on the color of their skin were stupid. Gradually, Darcy’s fear subsided and gave way to wonder.

The man’s whistle was very soothing and as the arrow made a circle shape in the air she relaxed her grip on Peter’s backpack straps. She saw the guy’s lips quirk up slightly as he eyed her, the arrow then moved quickly up and down, then side to side, and finally he created star out of the trailing red energy. The shape only lasted for a few seconds before it dissipated, but it was really cool. The arrow remained hovering in the air before her and Peter. 

Distracted by impromptu magic show, Darcy was surprised when two aliens lunged at her and Peter from the sides. 

Simultaneously one grabbed her arm and got a fistful of her hair, hauling her in one direction while the other alien got an arm around Peter’s throat as he pulled him the opposite way, effectively separating the pair. Darcy screamed as the rough hand yanked her head sharply. “PETER!” 

“DAR-c-ughuh--” Peter’s reached out to her with one hand, but his words got cut off by the alien who held him in a tightening chokehold.

Just then the whole room lifted or moved, like they were in an elevator. The leader yelled something sounding angry and the normal looking guy jogged out of the room. He then said something to the guy who was holding her and the man began dragging her towards a circle on the floor she hadn’t noticed. 

Angry and scared and just traumatized beyond belief, Darcy began to freak out. She screamed and slapped at the guy’s who held her. When he laughed at her attempts to free herself, something insider her snapped. 

She felt like her heart was on fire for a moment and her head dizzy, but then she felt a rush of…something. She let out a roar as she punched the man square in the chest with all her strength. To everyone’s surprise, most of all her own, the man went flying into a wall.

So abruptly and unexpectedly freed, Darcy fell to the floor on her butt. She stared with wide eyes at the dent the man had created in the wall upon impact. He slumped to the floor and a red spot was clearly visible from where his head had hit the unyielding metal. He remained unmoving on the floor with his head bowed. 

All Darcy could think in that moment was that she had killed him and was now a murderer and definitely going to get eaten by the evil aliens as revenge for what she’d done. Also, she was probably going to hell and never going to see Meredith or her daddy ever, ever again. 

With all eyes on her Darcy could only gape. She looked down at her fists but found them unchanged. Her tiny fists weren’t glowing, they didn’t have a force field around them, or anything to indicate how she had done such an impossible feat.

“Darcy,” Peter gasped, once again able to speak as the alien holding him loosened his grip, “How?”

She looked up at him with a guileless expression and blinked owlishly. She was as confused as he was, she answered in a dazed voice. “I dunno.” 

The leader yelled something and the arm around Peter’s neck tightened. She got up on her feet and raised her fists nervously. “Let him go.” She demanded without confidence, she shifted her gaze over to the leader. She straightened up as he stared her down. 

“Or else.” She added quivering voice. The leader stared at her with an intrigued look on his face, then a crackling came over a speaker and another voice said something. The leader smiled in response, showing her his ugly crooked teeth. He then waved to her and the floor underneath her disappeared. 

She fell with a shout, but instinct had her grabbing out blindly as the neon colored vortex tried to pull her through it once again. 

She managed to somehow keep hold of the floor, throwing both arms out wide enough to brace herself in the doorway (or was it floorway?). Her lower half dangled precariously, in danger of being sucked back to Earth or somewhere worse-er, she didn’t dare look to see. 

She realized belatedly that the guy who had grabbed her earlier had drug her to a circle on the floor so she could be ejected from the ship. Like garbage. 

“Darc—guhuh” Peter wheezed out. His eyes were wide and she could see nothing but fear in them. She also realized in that moment, that whoever the evil aliens were, they were after Peter and _not_ her. 

The thought of her best friend in danger had her scrambling to try to pull herself up, but there was nothing to grab onto. The floor was smooth and without convenient grooves for her to latch onto. She cast a panicky glance around and found nothing that would aid her in her climb back aboard the alien monster vessel.

“Darcy!” Peter screamed her name, but she couldn’t spare him a glance. The pull from the vortex was too much and she could feel herself slipping backwards. 

The leader rolled his eyes at her and stalked forward malevolently. She could tell he wasn’t coming to help her up, his whole body read as angry and annoyed. He reminded her of her mom in that moment. And she just knew he was about to do something nasty like push her or kick her through the hole to get rid of her. 

She growled low in her throat as she slammed her hand into the floor so hard that the metal dented. Quickly she used the imprint as a handhold to hang onto. 

The leader froze in his tracks. 

She did it again and again, moving inches at a time, but making steady progress. To her relief neither the leader nor his underlings moved to try to stop her as she climbed back onto the ship. 

Once free and clear of the tractor beam/floor vortex/ejection hole thingy, she lay panting on the floor. She could hear the floor’s ejection door closing and she curled up in a ball, mentally sighing in relief. She felt overwhelmingly tired and prayed to God that this was all some horrible dream.

Slow footsteps approached her. With a resigned pout she turned to look up at the leader as he stared down at her. The look upon his face was hard to read, but there was a quirk to one side of his mouth. He almost looked impressed. He said something she didn’t understand, and the alien choke holding Peter, released him. 

Peter ran over to her with outstretched hands. He shoved at the leader yelling, “Get away from her you creep!”

The leader barely moved as Peter ineffectually pushed at him. He smirked at Peter’s attempts and said something over his shoulder that made a couple of the other aliens laugh. 

And then the whole room tilted and Darcy felt a little like she was underwater and also on a playground merry go round spinning at top speed. She reached out blindly grabbing hold of the leader’s boots to keep herself from sliding along the floor into the wall. He seemed unfazed by the shift in reality, but Peter wind milled his arms before stumbling back and sprawling into an undignified heap against the far wall. 

The leader and several others laughed and Darcy felt the urge to yell some of the ‘curse’ words she knew she wasn’t supposed to say. 

When the weird feeling subsided and the ship returned to chugging along normally, she was grateful for the feeling of being in an quickly moving elevator once again. Confident the ship wouldn’t be tilting upside down or anything, Darcy glared up at the leader tempted to punch him in the knee for not warning them about the sudden shift.

He said something to the others, she kept her eyes on him though. When he caught something that looked like a gun and quickly shot her in the neck, she was too surprised to do anything to stop him. 

She felt dizzy and blinked slowly as her limbs grew heavy. 

“You bastard! What did you do to –oh!” Peter yelled out indignantly, her head was slow to turn in his direction, but when she saw him he was clutching his neck. The alien guy had shot Peter too. Her eyes swam as Peter collapsed to the floor.

She felt a warm hand on her head. The leader turned her head back to him and then there was a sharp prick in her neck as he pulled out whatever it was that he shot them with. He held up the needle in front of her face, said something she didn’t understand, and then she closed her heavy eyelids.

And there was nothing but darkness.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
When she woke up she was on a hard cot and Peter was lying next to her. Blinking she assessed the room and found it to be all metal, and knew that what had happened with the alien monsters, with Auntie Meredith, with her and Peter, it was all real. It wasn’t a horrible dream, they really had been abducted. 

Reaching out for Peter she put her hand on his arm, his warm skin and steady breathing was reassuring, but not enough. They were all alone with evil alien monsters who wanted to do who knows what with them and she couldn’t help but let out a whimper.

“Awake?” A voice called out tauntingly. Darcy sat up and found the voice instantly. 

The blue skinned leader grinned at her, showing off his ugly crooked teeth once again, “Finally. I was startin’ ta get bored.”

End of Chapter 1  
\--------------------------------)-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------)----------

Darcy’s Alien Abduction Outfit  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

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& bonus! You can look me up on the app and buy some of my crap!...I mean pre-loved treasures...I also am selling a lot of stuff new with tags. (Hell yeah, BLATANT SELF PROMOTION!!!!)  
So....POSHMARK, try it!


	2. Chapter 2 – Shit End of the Stick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter POV, 1 year after abduction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all know that Yondu was a a Kree battle slave for twenty years before Stakar Ogord freed him and offered him a place with the Ravagers. And that when he started human trafficking, they kicked him out and he had to start his own version of the "Ravagers".

Chapter 2 – Shit End of the Stick

_1989_  
_Space _  
_Peter Quill Age 9 & Darcy Age 6 _

They had been captives aboard the alien ship for almost a year and Peter spent most of his waking hours doing grunt work while Darcy wandered about doing what she pleased. He had learned very quickly that in the eyes of the Eclector crew Darcy was special and he was not. And for the most part that was okay with him because he loved Darcy like she was his real sister and he felt protective of her, but other times it just pissed him off. 

“C’mon Peter!” Darcy said in a pleading whine. “Can’t you just play with me for a little bit?”

Peter’s eyes cut over to Darcy. Her hair was a mess of dark unruly curls that only highlighted the paleness of her skin. She wore her ever present bright pink Barbie jacket and a pair of shorts that doubled as her PJ bottoms. She was sat atop the counter in the bathroom he was mopping, a bright green string laced between her fingers. She looked like a piece of candy among the dark metal walls the ship was made of and usually the contrast made him smile, but just then it was a reminder of the differences between them. 

When they were taken, Darcy had a backpack full of goodies. She had her favorite doll, some other toys, a week’s worth of clothing, and a full lunchbox. Peter only had the clothes on his back and his treasured walkman. He knew for a fact his underwear was currently three days old, while Darcy was wearing a fresh pair of pink panties. He knew this, because he was the one who also did their laundry. 

“I can’t.” Peter said tersely, turning away from the disappointed pout that bloomed across her face. He tightened his grip on the mop as he picked it up and dipped it into the disinfectant bucket Kraglin had throw at his head that morning. After he mopped the floor he had to spray disinfectant on the toilet seats and then he was supposed to find creepy Gef so he could help the man replace the evac tubes, which had become clogged and caused half the toilets on the ship to overflow with shit. 

He thought life aboard a space ship would have been more glamorous, but in reality he spent a lot of time cleaning up shit, helping fix shit that broke, and avoiding the alien crew that treated him like shit. It was deeply saddening to think he shared more in common with the life of servitude and C-3P0 than Han Solo the dashing rogue.

Darcy’s heels banged against the under the counter storage doors creating a constant irritating ‘bang, bang, bang’. Peter grind down on his back teeth as she pouted, “Oh come on! Not even for fifteen minutes?”

Bitterly he thought to himself that whether she knew it or not, Darcy was definitely living the life of Princess Leia. And the fact that she was so unaware of how easy she had it in comparison to himself grated on Peter’s nerves like nothing else.

Ready to unload all of his pent up frustration and anger, Peter opened his mouth to yell at her that he didn’t have time to play cat’s cradle with her, or goof off, or be a _kid_ anymore because he had responsibilities and chores to do! Responsibly and chores Darcy was exempt from because she was a stupid tiny baby who just so happened to be freakishly and dangerously super strong, which meant the crew left her alone for the most part unless something big and heavy needed to be moved. 

Darcy looked at him expectantly; hope shining in her eyes as she stared at him. She smiled at him brightly, her rosy cheeks and baby fat filled face looking adorable. Peter deflated. 

He swallowed his angry rant and gave Darcy a tired smile. Leaning on the mop handle he explained calmly, “I’ve got a lot of work to do today Darce. Maybe later.”

Darcy stopped kicking her feet. Her shoulders slumped and she hunched over on herself. “Oh.”

Peter let the mop handle clatter to the floor and he tugged off the thick rubber gloves he wore. Setting them down on the countertop beside her, he put a consolatory hand on her shoulder. He wanted to cheer her up, but didn’t know what to say to her. He could lie and tell her they could play after dinner, but usually he was so exhausted after eating that he passed out in their bunk. He could tell her that he would have more time tomorrow, but he overheard Yondu talking with Horuz about the venting system needing to be looked at because the filters were due to be changed. Which usually meant they needed someone small to climb inside and do the dirty work.

He didn’t like lying to Darcy, she was the one person in the galaxy he knew for certain he could trust. She loved him. Protected him when she could. Cheered him up when she could. Shared with him whatever she had. And relied on him to do the same. 

He leaned forward and gave her a hug. Her weedy arms wound around his skinny frame and gently hugged him back. As bad as he had it, he knew Darcy found life aboard the space ship equally difficult, if not for other reasons.

It was true she wasn’t forced to do grunt work, but they both knew Yondu wasn’t going easy on her because of her age or out of the goodness of his heart. Darcy was left to her own devices for days at a time, but other days the Captain had her shadow him or another crew member for ‘lessons’. 

Darcy had lessons in the ship and how it worked, how to read, how to fight, how to steal, how to avoid getting caught. It was clear to Peter that Yondu was grooming Darcy to be a part of his merry band of space pirates, but he wasn’t sure she knew it. She was only six years old after all. 

“You got anywhere you’re supposed to be today Darcy?” He asked as she rested her head on his shoulder. 

“Yes.” She admitted in a flat tone.

“Where?” He prompted in a knowing voice.

“With Lutz on the observation deck.” She confessed. She pulled away and Peter observed her glum expression with a confused one of his own. 

Out of all the crew members who gave him shit, Lutz was the nicest and he knew he had a soft spot for Darcy. He offered to do her laundry whenever Peter got to bogged down with his own chores or exhaustion, he saved them some breakfast if they overslept and the rations were gone before they could collect their allotted share, he warned them when Yondu was in a bad mood. Plus, he was also Xandarian like Kraglin, which meant he was one of the most normal looking crew members from their perspective. 

“What’s the lesson of the day?” He asked with genuine curiosity. Darcy was always excited to tell him about what she learned and she was especially fond of lessons that were more physical in nature than intellectual. He knew meeting up with Lutz meant she would be learning something fun, so seeing her less than excited was a little odd.

With a frown Darcy answered, “Pick pocketing stuff.”

He gave her an encouraging grin, “That sounds cool.” 

As she rewound the green string around her fingers she looked at him pleadingly again. “It would be if you were with me.” 

Peter closed his eyes and sighed. Darcy continued in a shrill voice, “I don’t understand why we can’t have school together! It’s stupid that Yondu has you cleaning half the time and doing big boy school without me the other half. I barely get to see you!” 

Peter felt the same way, but knew that if he or Darcy complained Yondu might deem them more hassle than they were worth and make good on his threat to let the crew eat them. Or, well, him. He wasn’t sure if Yondu was afraid of Darcy and her power or just really wanted to use her, but he was pretty certain he wouldn’t hurt her. Maybe put her in an M-Ship and send her off? But he would without a doubt kill Peter. 

He’d lied early on and told her that he was doing lessons too, just without her around because he was older. The lie made him feel sick every time she brought it up, but he knew it was for the best. Darcy got irrational whenever the crew bullying Peter came up, he could only image the tantrum she would throw if she found out Yondu didn’t give a shit about Peter’s education. 

“I know.” Peter said quietly. “But this is the way things are.” 

“But why!” Darcy exploded and the string that she had been playing with snapped apart. She looked down at her broken toy and frowned. 

“Because.” Peter said as he took the string out of her hand and tied a knot making it a circle of string once again.

She doubled the string around her wrist creating a bracelet as she demanded mournfully, “Because why.”

Peter looked her in the eyes so she would hopefully understand how serious he was. “Because Yondu’s the Captain. This is his ship. And that’s the way he wants it.” 

“It’s not fair.” Darcy pouted.

“No it’s not.” He agreed.

Peter put his arms around Darcy and pulled her off the counter, putting her back on her feet he smiled to himself how short she was in comparison to himself. “Go to your lesson.” He ordered in a gentle tone.

“Fine.” Darcy said petulantly. She turned to grab her lunch box from off the counter, he expected her to stomp out of the room without another word, but she surprised him. She opened her lunchbox and pulled out, what looked like a blue apple. 

She shoved the object at his chest muttering, “Here.”

“What’s this?” Peter asked with wonder. He brought the blue fruit to his face and sniffed, it smelled apple-y but also a bit like…butter?

“Tulk gave it to me as a reward for doing good on my reading and navigation lessons.” She explained, looking up she managed a smile even though her tone remained bitter. “I was going to share it with you, but you should just take it all.”

“I can’t.” Peter automatically refused. In the beginning when the crew was first feeling the two of them out Darcy would throw tantrums, violent tantrums, about various things but mostly about the food they were expected to eat. 

Tube paste meals weren’t exactly delicious, but they kept them all alive and eventually even Darcy got used to the blandness. After all, they had no choice. So, when certain crew members began trying to get in Darcy’s good graces they offered her food. He understood the crews reasoning, being on Darcy’s bad side had proven to be deadly for the crew of the Eclector. 

She’d killed three people since they were abducted. One, on accident when they first arrived. One, in a fit of rage for having backhanded Peter. And one during a temper tantrum, just because they were close by and she didn’t know her own strength. Yet. 

Darcy, being a good person, always offered to share the bribes she received from the crew with Peter. And when she did so, the crew members would be extra grumpy towards Peter. After a few instances of being ‘bumped’ into the wall, forced to take ice cold showers, and given the most unsavory chores possible, he caught on to the reasoning behind it. When the crew attempted to curry favor with the mini-powerhouse that was Darcy, they did not appreciate their bribes not going to the right Terran. 

“Darcy,” Peter explained as he ran a hand through his hair, “Tulk gave you this apple. It’s yours. You earned it; you can’t just give it away.”

Darcy snapped her lunchbox closed with a roll of her eyes. “Pete, they’re making you clean up poop. _You earned it._ Take the apple.” 

Peter grabbed her shoulder, gripping her tightly as he tried to get her to take the fruit back. “Darce-”

“Peter.” She said sharply. “I know how hard you work, you deserve something nice.” 

“But--”

With a determined expression she moved his pre-offered hand back to face, silently encouraging him to eat the apple. 

“I’m not taking it back Peter.” She told him with a stern expression. Peter hadn’t had something non-tube related to eat in over six months. Darcy knew this. When she smiled at him it felt like standing in sunshine. He knew there was no arguing with her. 

“If you insist.” He quipped before sinking his teeth into the flesh of the blue fruit. The juice flooded his mouth and he let out a groan, it was tart and savory and he quickly took a larger bite and chewed it up. The fruit tasted like an apple that had been deep-fried in butter and it was a thing of beauty.

“It’s good?” Darcy questioned. Peter pushed the fruit to her mouth and let her take a bit of her own. Her expression went from excited to revolted in two seconds flat. He was proud that she didn’t spit the piece of fruit out into the sink even though it was obvious she hated it. Non-tube food was rare and even if she hated it, she shouldn’t waste it.

“It’s-no’ a ‘eal apple.” She told him around the food in her mouth. With a wince she swallowed. He let out a laugh at her comical expression and took another bite out of the brightly colored fruit. Darcy was a notoriously picky eater, thus food being the go to item for the crew to try to curry favor with her. 

So far she only liked four ‘alien’ food items, Kraglin had told him in private that Darcy’s tastes just might bankrupt the crew because the food she liked just so happened to be rare and expensive. Especially, in the ‘bad’ parts of the galaxy where the Ravagers liked to spend their ill-gotten units.

“Make sure to tell Tulk you didn’t like it.” Peter advised as Darcy made to leave. He didn’t know what the man would do if he found out that he needless bought more of the expensive fruit.

She paused at the door and looked at him over her shoulder just as he took another bite of the fruit which she found horrifying and he found delicious. She didn’t say anything, but the expression on her face told him everything.

She wouldn’t tell Tulk she didn’t like the fruit, only because she knew he did. She may not understand fully why she was treated differently than Peter was, but she knew how to manipulate the situation to her liking and advantage. “See ya later Pete.” 

He offered her a wave and hopped up onto the counter she had vacated to finish off the fruit. The toilets and shit could wait.  
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Peter was getting ridiculed by Obio as the man attempted to show him the proper way to repair and maintain the electrical grid without electrocuting himself when he heard Darcy scream his name. “PETER!”

She kept calling his name as her little feet beat a steady ‘trip trap trip trap’ over the metal grating that made up the floor in the bowels of the ship. “PETER! PETER! PETER! PETER!” She called out as she got closer.

There was excitement in her voice, not panic so he remained on his back next to Obio, holding the flashlight in place as the adult used a soldering iron to accomplish the delicate work required to take half the ship lights offline and replace a burnt out relay, which if left unaddressed could take out the ships life support system. 

“Peter!” Darcy panted as she finally reached him.

“What?” He asked in a monotone voice. He’d been in the same position for over an hour and what was once an uncomfortable had become numb; Darcy’s excitement would not break his concentration. He was determined to learn what Obio was doing so next time he could fix this kind of problem on his own. And hopefully move up the social latter among the crew in doing so. 

“We’ve got to go.” Darcy informed him.

“Go where.” 

“Out.” Darcy giggled joyfully, “We’re going out!”

Peter let his arm drop, “Out where?”

“The light!” Obio complained, “Fucking--if your weak Terran arms can’t even hold a light in place how do you expect--”

“I got it, I got it.” Peter assured as he moved the flashlight back into place, “Jesus.” 

The light was once again moved out of position when Darcy grabbed his ankles and pulled him out from under the consol. She leaned over him with a wide crazy smile and shrieked, “No! We have to go now! Now, now, now!”

“Oy! Boy get back--” Obio began to complain once again, but Darcy rolled her eyes and yanked the large man out from under the consol as well. 

“Sorry Obio, but I’m stealing Peter. Because WE’RE GOING OUT!” Darcy informed him. Brought face to face with the strongest person on board the ship, Obio’s ire wilted.

“Fine.” He scowled as he snatched the light from Peter’s hand, he put the handle in his mouth and moved back under the consol to continue with his work. “’et ou’.” He commanded around the object in his mouth as he pushed Peter forward with his foot.

“No, but I was-” Peter tried to protest, but Darcy was already using her inhuman strength to pull him to his feet. 

“C’mon!” Darcy insisted as she tugged him along behind her, “Hurry before Yondu changes his mind.” 

“What are you talking about?” Peter demanded as he allowed Darcy to guide him to wherever they were going.

“We’re going out!” Darcy chirped unhelpfully.

“Define out.” He prompted as they reached the loading bay. A handful of crewmembers were gathered around Yondu whose eyes were trained on the door Darcy and he just entered.

With a whistle Yondu raised his hand and signaled everyone, “A’right. Let’s move out y’all.” 

And that’s when Peter saw a sight he hadn’t seen in the year they’d been on board the space ship. The gangplank descended and Yondu and the crew began exiting the ship. He knew they had landed on a planet to complete some repairs that were dangerous to conduct in space, he knew they were running low on things like rations and soap and the like, but he never imagined—

“C’mon PETER!” Darcy yanked his hand hard, pulling him out of his thoughts and into action. “C’mon, c’mon. Let’s go, let’s go! Move faster, c’mon!”

Peter started jogging as Darcy pulled him with her and ran. They both paused at the top of the gangplank. The sky was blue. The floor looked like dirt. And for Peter that was a little disappointing, but still a giddy excitement came over him. Hand in hand, he and Darcy set foot on an alien planet for the first time. 

“Girl, you ready?” Yondu asked as Kraglin and two others peeled off from their group. 

Darcy gave Yondu a toothy grin and a salute, “Aye, aye Captain!” 

Yondu smirked in amusement and gestured towards a nearby building with his head, “Well then, come on.”  
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Darcy kept tight hold of Peter’s hand as they trailed behind Yondu, Lutz, and Tulk. As they walked Peter learned by overhearing Yondu’s conversation, that Kraglin and Narblik would be overseeing the refueling of the ship while Yondu and the rest of them were getting some supplies. 

Once they reached a busy looking market Tulk left them.

“Where’s Tulk going?” Darcy asked with innocent curiosity. Yondu and Lutz subtly moved to bracket he and Darcy, with Yondu moving to stand beside Peter and Lutz next to Darcy. 

Yondu gave her one of his ugly teeth grins. “None of yah business little girl.” 

Darcy pursed her lips at that and Yondu laughed. “Don’t worry ‘bout him none. We’ll meet up with him later.” 

“What are we buying?” Peter asked.

“Nothin’ yet, first we got to go see a man about a job. Then we’ll pick up things for the ship.” Yondu informed them. 

Lutz gave Darcy’s shoulder a friendly squeeze, “And maybe something for you too pretty girl.” 

Darcy lit up, “Like ice cream?!”

“Don’ go promising her shit we can’t guarantee.” Yondu chastised Lutz with a scowl, “We don’ need her throwing a tantrum and drawin’ the wrong kind of attention.” He gave Darcy a pointed look, “Ya hear me little girl?”

“I promise to be good.” Darcy assured him. “Super duper pinkie promise times infinity promise.” After a beat she raised her and Peter’s joined hands, adding, “Peter too.” 

Yondu looked down his nose at Peter in an assessing manner. “He will if he knows what’s good for him.” 

Peter stared back resolutely. Up until that point his interactions with the captain had been restricted to him threatening to let the crew eat him, threatening to kill Darcy if he didn’t obey, or assigning him a crew member to assist or chore to accomplish. And that was it. 

Darcy was much more familiar with the blue skinned man. She maintained that Yondu was a grumpy teddy bear and while Peter doubted that was true, he was glad that he had been treating Darcy kindly and she saw him that way. 

Lutz patted Darcy on the back saying, “Maybe not ice cream, but I’m sure we can get you a new doll or at the very least some warmer clothes.” 

Peter’s eyebrows rose appreciatively at that news. Darcy had only packed shorts and skirts, and in the cold reaches of space she often resorted to walking around with a blanket. Getting her some more ‘lack of weather’ appropriate clothing sounded good to him. Peter often worried about her well being and how he was doing as her protector. 

He was concerned about how the lessons from the ‘space pirates’ would warp her sense of right and wrong. He worried about the massive amounts of mutated gamma radiation in her body that according to Yondu must be the source of her unnatural strength and how it might give her cancer like his mom. But in the dead of night the thoughts that kept him awake revolved around keeping her alive. Keeping her weight up, making sure she slept enough, but also how ice cold her feet got when she pressed them against his warm skin in the middle of the night. 

He himself had been wearing some of the crews castoff clothing, but any warmer clothing offered to Darcy was rejected by the girl for being too ugly or too big and cumbersome. Sometimes Peter didn’t know if her stubborn nature was the best thing about her, or the worst.

Yondu looked down at Darcy with a fond expression, his eyes flickered down to her two tone colored shorts and he frowned. “Yeah, maybe some pants or somethin’.”  
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Yondu lead them through the market to an upscale looking shopping area. They received a few looks by some Nova officers, but no one approached them or said anything. Their captain walked with confidence, while Lutz moved like he was waiting for someone to jump out and tackle them. 

Darcy had broken away from Peter in the marketplace and tried to reach out and touch some of the more interesting looking objects. As a result she was now under the close supervision of Yondu and not Peter. The fact that the tiny six year old in her bold shorts and cartoon t-shirt and pigtails, made the badass alien look no less intimidating, even as she skipped and held their hands singing to herself, was very impressive in Peter’s eyes. 

Yondu appeared unaffected by Darcy swinging their hands as she took in the alien sights all around them. Peter hoped it meant that he actually liked Darcy, and didn’t just tolerate her because of how he wanted to use her for her super strength. 

When they reached a shop with no sign on the door to indicate what kind of store it was, Lutz came up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. The Xandarian put a finger to his lips silently telling Peter to keep quiet. He nodded and the man smiled and ruffled Peter’s hair affectionately. 

There were only a few customers in the store, Yondu lead them over to a glass case and Peter peered inside. He saw fancy jewelry, but unlike back home there were only a few diamond-like one’s on display. The bulk of the jewelry for sale seemed to be more crystal in nature than…whatever diamonds were made out of. 

They window shopped quietly for about ten minutes. Yondu bent down to Darcy’s height and asked her which one she liked the best, then which one she thought was ugly, then which one would look good on him. And so on and so on, Yondu kept up a light chatter between himself and Darcy. 

When the last of the customer’s left the store, Lutz moved to the door and did something. This was apparently some signal because Yondu put his arms around Darcy and she wrapped one arm casually around the man’s shoulders as he stood with the girl settled on his hip. 

The owner seemed nervous and obviously knew something was up. 

“Well, howdy there.” Yondu said with a grin, “Long time Falcone. Long time since we heard from ya.”

“Mr. Udonta. What a pleasant surprise.” The owner’s eyes shifted over to Lutz who moved past Yondu and Darcy and headed straight for the man. His eyes widened as Lutz pushed past him. The store owner turned and watched as Lutz went into the back room ‘for employees only’. 

In a nervous voice the man asked, “What can I do for you?”

Yondu whistled, making the man whip his head around so fast it made a noise. The store owner’s eyes were wide now. Yondu grinned evilly, “Don’ pay him any mind. Lutz is jus’ gon’ make sure we’re alone.”

“W-why would we need to be alone?” The man stuttered, a sweat beginning to form at his hairline. 

Instead of answering Yondu forward and whispered something in Darcy’s ear. She grinned and nodded and he picked her up and set her upon the glass case of jewelry. 

The store owner jerked forward, “Please don’t stand on that.” 

Darcy cocked her head to the side and replied sassily, “Would you rather I sit on it with my smelly butt?”

The owner looked confused but Yondu snapped his fingers and redirected the man’s attention back to him. “Don’t worry none, she don’t weigh more than a feather. She won’t hurt your precious stones none.” 

Lutz exited the back room and gave Yondu a nod. “We’re clear. Security’s disabled, doors are locked, as far as anyone’s concerned the stores closed.” 

The owner began to look a little annoyed. “Sir! I must insist you and your associates disband at once. This is highly irregular--”

Darcy smashed her foot down on the glass case in front of her and it shattered. The store owner tried to rush forward but Lutz grabbed him by the back of his jacket and held him back. 

“Whoops.” Darcy gave the man an impish grin and a shrug. 

“Get out! All of you! I demand--”

“Darlin’…” Yondu commanded. Darcy grinned at him then jumped up and smashed through the glass case she was standing on. Peter lunged forward worried she was about to fall or get cut, but to his surprise she reached out at the same time Yondu did to steady herself. Yondu held her arm as she got her footing on the cushioned fabric slab the expensive jewelry was displayed on.

Yondu gave Darcy a look and the worried look slid off her face as she realized she was fine. She kicked her foot out shaking loose the remaining jagged glass and then sat precariously on the metal frame that was still intact despite the glass having shattered. 

Yondu turned to address the man. “You’ve been neglecting our relationship and I’m all broken up abou’ it.”

“Mr. Udonta, I do not know why--” Lutz shook the man roughly cutting off his words.

Yondu inched closer to him. “You said you didn’t have any jobs you needed doing, but what ya meant was-” 

Yondu reached out and grabbed the man by his lapel. He pulled him as close as possible with the glass jewelry case in between them. Peter tensed up as Yondu’s honeyed voice turned into a growl. “You didn’t have any jobs for me and mine and I want to know why. Ya got recon for Aleta. Ya gota smash and grab’s for Charlie-27 and his crew. Hell, ya even got some fuckin’ fancy rock transpo gig for Martinex.”

Peter inched closer to Darcy and whispered, “What the hell Darcy.” 

Darcy gave him a grumpy look and whispered back, “Shh.” 

“I’m feeling persecuted.” Yondu declared as he let go of the store owner’s shirt. His demeanor switched back to a casual persona, he even pretended to brush off some dust from the owners shoulders. “I’m feeling mighty insulted by all these lies you’ve been peddling mah way. Thought I’d drop by and find out _why_.” 

“M-m-mr. Udonta. I assure you, I meant no disrespect.” The man stammered, “I was just doing as I was told.” 

“Told by who?” Yondu demanded.

The store owner averted his eyes and evaded answering the question. “I’ve always maintained a healthy relationship with the Ravagers, you know this to be true. Sir, I rely on our dealings to keep my business afloat, I would never jeopardize my working relationship--”

Annoyed by the response he was receiving Yondu let out a roar and grabbed the man’s head and slammed it down onto glass case between them. “WHO BLACKLISTED ME?!” 

“Stakar Ogord!” The owner exclaimed. Yondu looked as if he’d been punched in the gut. He let the man go and took a step backwards.

“Stakar Ogord?” He repeated, “Ogord told ya not to do business with me anymore?” 

The nervous man had beads of sweat sliding down his face now. Timidly he nodded in confirmation. “To maintain access to the Ravagers wide range of operatives I was told to cut you off completely.” After a beat he added, “I have a family to think of sir, I hope you understand.” 

So caught up in the drama that was unfolding with the store owner and Yondu, Peter didn’t notice Darcy’s moving until everyone else did. Across the store room another jewelry case shattered. Darcy made a loud fart noise and threw a large bracelet into the air and caught it.

She gave a pointed look at the store owner. “Mister, you’re a coward and not a cool lion one. You shouldn’t let this “Ogoody” man bully you and tell you not to give Yondu jobs, he told me how unfair yous were being to us and I don’ like it one bit.” Darcy hurled the bracelet across the store room shattering another glass case. 

“That’s enough kid.” Yondu said in a subdued tone. Darcy’s eyes shifted to Yondu. There was a question on her face, but Peter felt so lost he couldn’t begin to wonder what was going on in her head. He was in shock of how she had acted, of how close she and Yondu apparently were. And if he were honest with himself, he was a little jealous, of both of them, but for vastly different reasons. 

“Are you okay?” She asked Yondu sincerely. He frowned and turned away from her, turning instead back to the store owner with a stormy expression on his face. Lutz seemed to sense Yondu’s ire too because he crowded close to the owner increasing the man’s anxiety as Yondu addressed him in a deadly serious tone. 

“You and I are in an exclusive business relationship from here on out.” 

“But sir--” The store owner tried to protest but Yondu struck out with his hand and grabbed the man’s face and squeezed his cheeks painfully. 

“You need something stolen, ya contact me. You need to move some hot merchandise off world, ya contact me. Smuggling, kidnapping, piracy, mass murder. I am the only one you turn to. The only call you make. And mine is the only crew you hire. If you don’t, I will come back here and when I do, I’ll live the kiddies at home and things will get very grisly, very quickly. Do ya understand me?”

With his face still in Yondu’s vice grip the store owner replied with a stilted, “Yes.”

“Yes what?” Yondu prompted.

“Yes, sir.” 

Yondu released him and Lutz came around the jewelry case, he moved over to Darcy and held out his arms for her expectantly. She hesitated before reaching out and allowing the Ravager to help her out of the shattered glass she was surrounded by. He kept her in his arms and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He whispered something in her ear and in response Darcy’s eyes darted over to Peter. 

Peter was just confused and jealous and in awe of everything that had just happened. And even though he was right there, he never felt so far away from Darcy in his whole life. He felt like he didn’t even know who she was.

Lutz stroked Darcy’s hair and whispered something in her ear; she then rested her head on his shoulder and began sucking her thumb. Yondu muttered something to the store owner that had him paling as much as his pink skin would allow. He then looked over at Lutz and Darcy and scowled. “Get yer thumb outta your mouth girl.” 

Lutz put a protective hand on Darcy’s shoulder, excusing her behavior. “Cap, leave her be. It’s been a big morning.” 

Yondu rolled his eyes but let it go. He moved over to the first case of jewelry Darcy had smashed and stuck his hand inside grabbing up several necklaces and a few rings, he held up the jewelry in the owner’s direction declaring, “Consider this retroactive back pay.” 

Without another word Yondu lead the way out of the store. Peter followed along in a zombie-fied state, his mine literally blown.  
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Following the drama back at the jewelry store Yondu’s mood seemed to darken, but at Lutz prompting they stopped off to do a little shopping. Yondu broke away from them at the market muttering something about liquor and meeting up at the ship. 

Darcy’s eyes followed Yondu’s back until he had disappeared into the crowd. Peter wondered if she was scared or worried for their captain.

Lutz seemed determined to lighten up the dour mood that had descended upon all of them. With a forced grin he hitched Darcy higher in his arms and asked, “How about we try to find an equivalent for that Terran ice cream you’re always going on about?”

Darcy pulled the thumb out of her mouth and wiped it on her shirt with a hopeful smile, “Really?”

Lutz nuzzled her nose with his own and repeated, “Really.” 

Darcy smiled and clapped, “Yay!” Then she looked over at him expectantly. Peter felt the plastic smile slide into place without him even thinking about it. He gave Darcy a thumbs up and let Lutz take his hand as the Ravager led them deeper into the marketplace.  
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Lutz took them shopping. And in Peter’s opinion, the guy was really going overboard in letting Darcy try on a massive pile of impractical pink frilly crap. However he was in a shitty mood that had him snapping at every little thing Darcy said or did, so that might be on him. 

When Peter asked him about why he was letting Darcy go crazy in the store, Lutz merely responded, “What else am I going to spend all my units on? A retirement plan?”

Peter had smirked. No he supposed space pirates didn’t really have to worry about longevity. They probably ended up dead or in jail. He felt a pang in his heart at the thought of either of those things happening to Darcy. 

The girl in question came out of the dressing room just then in a bathing suit. It was skimpy and maybe a size to small, but it was rainbow and there was glitter flowers on the straps so of course Darcy didn’t care that half her hiney was hanging out. 

In a exasperated tone heckled, “Darce! What the hell do you think you need that thing for? The ship only has showers. Go take it off.”

Darcy merely shrugged and spun in front of the mirror showing off for the two of them. “It was in my pile of stuff to try on. So here I am,” She shook her butt comically in their direction, “Trying it on. Sooooo, what do you think?”

“Beautiful.” Lutz sighed. 

“Gah! No. You look like a troll.” Peter jeered, “Go put on some pants or something. Try a veil.” 

Darcy looked a little downtrodden at his comment. “Fine.” She stomped all the way back to the dressing room and Peter felt a stab a guilt for her reaction. But then he remembered she had been holding back about her lessons with Yondu and just what they entailed and he was once again filled with righteous indignation. 

Once Darcy was behind the curtain again, Lutz looked at him with a frown on his face. In a lowered voice he advised, “You shouldn’t be so rude to your sister.” 

, Peter responded brutishly, “She’s not my sister.” 

The frown on Lutz face deepened. “Ya know, the Cap didn’t want you to come today. But, Darcy spoke up for you. This morning was a test run to see how she handled tense situations. Or to get her acclimated to them. Either way, she refused to go if you couldn’t come with her. Cap thought dragging you along would be babying her, but I knew better and ultimately he agreed.” 

“What do you mean?” Peter asked.

Lutz lips ticked up on one side. “She loves you.” He shrugged and the smile on his face took on an oddness that Peter couldn’t put his finger on. “She’d do anything for you.” Lutz informed him, “That’s powerful. Cap doesn’t see it, I mean he does, but he doesn’t understand how far that little girl would be willing to go for someone if you’re life was on the line.” 

Peter’s lips drew into a flat line. “Are you saying Yondu threatened to kill me if Darcy wouldn’t act as his henchman?” 

Lutz tilted his head back and cackled. “Henchman? Kid, your sister has the potential to eat henchman for breakfast. And Yondu knows it.” 

Peter didn’t know what to say to that so he just stared at Lutz expectantly. The older man’s eyes flickered to the curtain behind which Darcy was changing. “Darcy is a very special little girl.”

“I know that.” Peter said, “Everyone knows that.” 

“Do they?” Lutz challenged, he shook his head. “I don’t think so. …But I know how special she is.” Lutz leaned over and poked him in the chest, “And so do you.”

“Ow.” Peter lied as he rubbed his chest. 

Lutz rolled his eyes and continued, “Do yourself and _her_ a favor, cut her some slack and try to appreciate the opportunity being her sister has given you to learn all you can from the Ravagers while your with us. I know you were feeling betrayed or whatever, but honestly the Captain isn’t a bad guy. Yondu’s mostly fair and as decent as a man in our profession can be.”

“I don’t feel betrayed.” Peter refuted, but he was lying. And from the look on Lutz’s face it was clear he knew it. 

In a comforting tone Lutz said, “Peter. She’s a very little girl, in a very tricky situation. It’s a good thing that she’s getting along better with the crew. It’s a good thing that Yondu sees potential in her. You should be happy for her and if you were smart you’d follow her example.” Leaning down he cupped his hand around Peter’s ear and whispered, “I see potential in you too Peter.” 

“That’s not true.” Peter refuted with a frown as he jerked away from Lutz. “Everyone thinks I’m a nobody, she’s the one with a super power. That’s why Yondu makes her do school and not me.”

“Boy, what do you think you do all day?” Lutz challenged.

Peter gave him a dry look. “Back breaking labor designed to get as much work out of me until my feeble body collapses and I’m of no further use.”

Lutz chuckled, “Yeah. I suppose you could see it that way. Or, it could be seen as giving you the chance to get some hands on training on how a ship works from the bottom to the top, seeing as you know how to read and everything already. Unlike Darcy.”

“What?” Peter squeaked, “No. Forcing me to do menial chores is not the same as giving me lessons and school.” 

“Uh, yeah it is.” Lutz argued.

“Nuh-uh.” Peter said weakly, but the more he thought about it…he did know how to fix the plumbing on the ship after dealing with the epic shit overflow situation. He also knew how to repair the landing gear, because of that week he spent inside it rubbing space lotion over all the parts so they wouldn’t rust. And, before Darcy came to get him that morning he’d been learning about the life support system by helping Obio with the electricity… 

“Holy shit.” He exclaimed. 

Lutz chuckled and nudged him with his elbow. “You’re three years older than her. In a lot of ways she’s still a baby. Cap didn’t see the need to coddle you like he’s doing to her. And yeah, her strength plays into that decision a bit, but she ain’t invulnerable. Yondu isn’t scared of Darcy, and neither am I.” 

“I didn’t realize.” Peter mumbled still mentally cataloguing all the things he had learned about keeping a spaceship in the air in the past year of ‘chores’. 

“HEY!” Darcy yelled as she pulled back the curtain and jumped out of the dressing room dramatically. “Look at me!” She did a spin and the dress of her giant poofy pink cupcake dress flared out, inadvertently flashing them and the other store patrons her frilly pink underwear. 

“Well, look at you!” Lutz crowed with a smile. “Pretty as a picture.” 

Darcy picked up the fluffy skirt of the dress and shook it declaring, “It’s so pink and fluffy I could die!” Her eyes flickered over to Peter and the smile on her face wilted a little. “I suppose this isn’t very practical though.” 

Peter frowned at her dour expression. He stood up and Darcy’s eyes flew to his. “You look great Darce.” 

“Really?” 

“Really.”  
.  
.  
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An hour and a half later Lutz led them out of the children’s clothing boutique, arms laden down with bags of clothing. The man definitely had a big soft spot for Darcy. He’d bought her skirts and tops and dresses and socks and shoes and underwear and pants and jumpsuits and accessories and even got her this cute little three headed doggy stuffed animal. But also, he bought Peter some stuff too. 

After the conversation they had, Peter felt a little better about what had happened that morning. 

He and Darcy walked all the way back to the ship hand in and hand. He was grateful for her easy going manner, he didn’t even have to apologize for being a brat to her when they first started shopping. Darcy just accepted his offered hand and cuddled close to his side as they walked. 

When they reached the ship they found Kraglin helping a drunken looking Yondu on board the ship. Narblik who had accompanied Kraglin with refueling the ship was waiting for them at the base of the gangplank. 

Narblik gave Lutz a confused look, “What the fuck did you do? Rob a clothing store?” 

“No. We bought all this on the up and up.” Lutz informed him. 

Narblik rolled his eyes, “Whatever man.” He then threw a brown bag at Darcy. She caught and looked at the man with a question on her face.

Narblik held up his hand, “Don’t look at me, Cap got it for you. Said to hand it over when you all showed up.” 

Darcy’s eyes lit up and she tore into the bag crying out, “Yay! More presents!”

She let the brown bag fall to the floor carelessly as she discovered what was inside. It was a red leather jacket, similar to the ones many of the Ravagers wore, but different in that the color was brighter and obviously it was much smaller. Darcy jumped up and down shaking the jacket over her head, “Wahoo! My own Ravager jacket!” 

“It’s not a real Ravager jacket.” Narblik grumbled as he turned away from them and made his way up the gangplank. “You little she-demon.” 

Peter narrowed his eyes at Narblik’s back but Darcy obviously didn’t hear him or care what he had to say. She was too busy tearing off her pink Barbie jacket and flinging it at Peter’s face so she could slip on her new red Ravager jacket. 

Smoothing her hands down the front she practically vibrated with excitement. “I look so cool!” 

Peter reminded himself that he shouldn’t feel jealous.

But he was. 

“Come on!” Narblik yelled down to the three of them. “Let’s get the hell off this planet already.” 

Peter followed behind slowly as Darcy skipped back onto the ship. Lutz patted him on the back comfortingly. “Remember kid, she’ll only be this young and innocent for so long. Let her enjoy it while it lasts.” 

“Yeah.” Peter agreed with a small smile. Darcy was dancing around Narblik to his great annoyance and he had to admit, she did look cute.  
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\-------------------------)))))))))))))))))--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FYI= All the clothes while Darcy is a child are Authentically 80’s and I’m finding sticking to this and the limited references she and Peter will be able to make, SUPER difficult/challenging but also kind of fun! 

Darcy’s “Cat’s Cradle” outfit  


Darcy’s “First Mission Outfit”  


Our Crew Reference Look Book Thingy (All Ravagers are from canon except Lutz)  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So how did Peter's voice come out? First time not writing in Darcy's POV and I'm nervous about it. Also excited!  
So, would you like to see other POVs? Like Yondu or Kraglin? Or should I switch off between Darcy and Peter exclusively?


	3. Chapter 3 - Butcher

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They meet someone at the butcher shop.

Chapter 3 – The Butcher

_1990_  
_Space _  
_Peter Quill Age 10 & Darcy Age 7 _

Darcy was not a fan of sitting and waiting. 

They were in a bar waiting for a contact about a job and the small group Yondu had brought with them all seemed to feel much the same as she did. Tulk and Kraglin were drunkenly serenading a disinterested bar maid, Yondu was chatting up a prostitute, and she and Lutz were throwing sticky candy into the beard of the passed out Gef. He was what Lutz called a ‘lightweight’. 

They’d been waiting for over an hour and half and Darcy was sick of it. She whined at Lutz. “Why can’t we just forget about this job and go home?” 

“Because the money’s good and it’s supposed to be a cake walk.” He explained.

“Well, like, what if they guy’s dead? Or he got arrested? Or his ship got sucked into a black hole? Are we just supposed to sit here _forever_?” As much as she loved spending time with Lutz, she was bored and wasn’t allowed to leave to explore the planet or try ‘liquor’ so she was antsy-er than usual. 

“We wait till the guy arrives.” Lutz said in a monotone, he was used to dealing with her whining. She watched as he pursed his lips as he threw another candy at Gef and it bounced off his thick goggles. “Captain’s orders.” He added.

“_Captian orders._” Darcy mocked as she threw another candy and it hit its target, adding to the collection they’d started. She smiled in satisfaction at the bright yellow candy lodged in the red-orange whiskers that made up Gef’s beard. 

“Good one.” Lutz complimented.

“Thanks.” She said distractedly, her eyes had cut across the room to Yondu. She didn’t like him talking to prostitutes, especially when no one would explain what ‘prostitute’ meant, only said she should stay away from them and never become one. She crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. “Isn’t he annoyed about this contact taking so long?”

Lutz followed her gaze and caught sight of Yondu cuddling up to the working girl, whispering something in her ear that made the experienced woman blush. “Somethin’ tells me he don’t mind in the least.”

Darcy frowned as she watched Yondu flirt. “That is so gross.” The woman he was flirting with had thirteen eyes on her face; she wore a floor length gown with a hood and long gloves. She moved in this unnaturally fluid way and Darcy was pretty sure she had fangs. She did not see why Yondu liked her so much.

Lutz gave her condescending look. “Maybe when you’re older you’ll understand the appeal.” 

“I am older.” Darcy refuted immediately. 

Lutz’s eyes brightened with amusement. “So what’s gross about a man wanting to spend his time in the company of a beautiful lady?” 

Darcy pointed at the woman in question, “That is not a lady. That is a nightmare come to life.” She shivered. “Can you imagine kissing someone with that many eyes? Soooo creepy.”

Lutz chuckled. “So what if Yondu was talking to someone pretty like you? Still gross?”

“Hmm.” Darcy tapped a finger on her chin thoughtfully. “Yes.”

“Why?” Lutz challenged.

She answered honestly. “Because Yondu’s gross and imagining him kissing anyone is gross.”

Lutz laughed out loud. “That so?”

“Yep.” She chirped back, pleased that she had amused him. 

“What about him makes it gross?” Lutz asked as he scooted his chair closer to her own. As he slouched in his chair putting them eye to eye, he lowered his voice and added, “Specifically.”

She paused before answering, looking at Yondu as she thought. The truth was he was basically her father at this point. Not that he would say that. The Ravagers were her family and even if the gruff aliens were to ‘manly’ to admit it, Darcy knew they cared about her, none more so than Yondu. 

So, whenever she had the chance to see him shed his badass persona in the pursuit of ‘adult company’ it always irked her some. It was weird to catch him being charming and affectionate with someone who wasn’t her or to a lesser extent Peter. She didn’t feel comfortable admitting that to Lutz though so she said, “He’s old.” 

“Old?!” Lutz exclaimed.

She nodded in confirmation. “Yep, he’s old. So him kissing on some million eyes lady is super gross. But him kissing some pretty lady? Still gross.” 

Lutz gave her a heated look and Darcy felt weird about it. “Captain’s only a few years older than me.” He leaned in close to her face whispering, “You think me kissin’ someone is gross?”

She shivered as his hot breath tickled her cheek. It was no secret that Darcy had developed a crush on Lutz and really it should be no surprise either. He was the kindest Ravager. He was also the most considerate and affectionate too, to her and Peter both. He was also competent and skilled, someone Yondu trusted to take care of her if a situation became hairy, hence his default babysitter status on most missions. And yes, he was very handsome. Or at least she thought so. 

It had become something the entire crew rallied around, teasing her good-naturedly about her desire to please and constantly be around the man. It always made her feel strange when Lutz joined in on the teasing too, like he was now. 

She turned to face him but he was so close to her face that this put them nose to nose. She inhaled deeply but refused to move away. “No.”

“No what.” He prompted in a soft voice. The look he was giving her made her feel a little uncomfortable. 

She couldn’t help it; she turned away and felt the blush rise up on her cheeks as she mumbled her response. “No, you kissing someone isn’t gross.” 

Lutz reached out and moved a stray hair behind her ear, softly saying, “Well, that’s a relief.”  
.  
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Two hours later the contact arrived. 

Lutz left her with, the now awake, Gef and the man as he went to retrieve Yondu from the upstairs apartments where he had disappeared to have ‘alone time’ with the lady prostitute. Kraglin and Tulk were now passed out and snoring one table over from them. 

Their contact was a strange looking man, in that he looked kind of normal but also like, not. He had dark hair that he’d spray painted silver; he wore lipstick and shiny clothes and glasses. He had a manner about him that seemed cold and callous, or maybe indifferent was a better word. She felt very uncomfortable with how still he was. She just knew that behind his shaded glasses, he was looking at her and it made her fidget in her seat. 

Gef, was pissed about the stuff she and Lutz had gotten stuck in his beard while he was passed out, so it was in a tense silence that the three of them waited for the others. When waiting took longer than five minutes, Gef got frustrated with trying to pick the sticky candy out of his beard and he excused himself to go to the bathroom, glaring at her as he told her to ‘stay put’.

After a minute of silence, she couldn’t take it anymore. She asked the man a question. “What’s your name?”

“Calix.” The man’s voice was modulated somehow, he sounded somewhat robotic.

“I’m Darcy.” She offered with a smile. The man’s expression barely shifted. He stared at her for a long time before responding, “You are a child.” 

Her eyebrows rose in surprise though she wasn’t sure why. “Yes I am.” 

“And you are in a bar.” Calix said observationally. 

She exhaled through her nose, amused at the conversation. “Yes I am.” She repeated. 

“Your presence here is illogical. Unless,” With a tilt of his head Calix asked, “Do you service the Captain or does the entire Ravager crew make use of you?” 

“I’m no one’s servant.” Darcy said with a hint of ire. “I’m a member of the crew, same as anyone else.”

“But you are a child.” Calix stated almost sounding confused.

“Being a child doesn’t invalidate my status as a Ravager.” She said pointedly.

“It should.” Calix countered emotionlessly. “Children are weak things of play. Easily manipulated and maneuvered to their owners liking.” 

“What?” Darcy exclaimed quietly, “Who told you that?” 

“My employer.” Calix answered. 

“Well, your employer sounds like a dick.” Darcy said snippily. Just then from behind her a heavy hand clapped her on the shoulder. 

She looked up to find Yondu with an easy smile on his face. “Now, now. Let’s not go insulting our client.”

Darcy relaxed as her odd conversation with Calix was derailed by the arrival of Yondu and Lutz, who immediately began pressing the man for details on their upcoming job. She remained alert and attentive as the plans were discussed.

Calix represented a wealthy man, someone Yondu was keen to maintain a good relationship with as the man could pay well _and_ possibly pull strings for them if they ever got into trouble with the law in the future. However, the job they were being hired to do had to be kept hush, hush. Discretion was very important to Calix’s employer, which is why he had contacted them in the first place. Apparently, Yondu had a decent reputation. Who knew?

The plan was to pick up a package on a nearby planet and bring it back to Calix, who would presumably bring it to his boss. They were paid half upfront and Lutz and Yondu both seemed encouraged by this. Darcy on the other hand was suspicious about how easy the job sounded, but she kept her concerns to herself until Calix had left the bar.

“It sounds too good to be true.” She warned as she carried the unconscious Kraglin over her shoulder as they walked back to the ship. 

Yondu waved away her worry. “Nah. We’re due for a bit of good luck, it’ll be fine.” He was always in a good mood after he ‘laid down’ with lady prostitutes. It was irritating. 

“Am I missing something? Or are we about to make thousands of units for basically delivering intergalactic mail?” Darcy pressed as she eyed Gef nearly dropping Tulk, the nearsighted man tripped on an errant rock, but Lutz stabilized him. 

“I doubt it’ll go as smooth as all that,” Yondu acknowledged. He ruffled the hair on her head through her hood, irritating her further, “but I’m sure we can handle it.” 

He gave her a toothy smile and wink. “We got you on our side don’t we?” Despite herself, Darcy warmed at the sentiment. 

“Okay.” She conceded. “But I reserve the right to tell you ‘I told you so’.”  
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Three days later they were landing on a planet and picking up the package from a burly man dressed in a crisp white linen smock streaked with blood. They met him in the back of a butcher shop where he worked. 

It came as no surprise to Darcy when it was revealed their ‘package’ wasn’t what they had been led to believe.

“That’s a kid holding a box.” Yondu said observationally. In front of them stood a kid, perhaps a year or two younger than Darcy herself. He looked Xandarian, but then again so did she, so who really knew? He had blonde shiny hair and looked well cared for, well, not super skinny or anything anyway. His clothes looked a little ragged but clean. He also seemed excited.

The burly butcher had a large mustache on his face and it twitched in annoyance. He stared down Yondu. “That is Alec. He bonded with a Zypher and now, alas, you must transport the both of them. The link between a Zypher and its keeper is a nearly unbreakable bond. Were they to be separated the poor creature would expire within minutes.”

“So what use is it?” Yondu questioned at the same time Alex smiled at her and held up the box in his hands asking, “Wanna see him?” 

Not waiting for a response the little boy set the box down on the ground and opened the lid. Darcy leaned in close as he pulled out a small fuzzy creature. It had four legs and a long fluffy tail, its fur was blue gray and it had big black eyes and a small pink nose. It reminded her a little of a squirrel…or was the word a squid? Honestly her memories from Earth were becoming less clear to her every year. But the point was, the alien creature was small, furry, and adorable.

“OH MY GOD!” She exclaimed. Alec gave her a wide grin, obviously pleased by her enthusiasm. 

Yondu gave her a tempering look, but she couldn’t contain her excitement. She began to bounce up and down. “Can I pet it? It’s so cute. Can I pet it? Please. Please? Can I?!”

“Sure.” Alec moved closer and she reached out to touch it, but Lutz grabbed her hand stopping her.

“Is it dangerous?” He asked the child. 

Alec rolled his eyes and cradled the creature more securely in his arms. “You really think I’d let her pet him if he was?” 

“Maybe.” Lutz said with a shrug as he released her hand.

“Go on.” Alec encouraged, “His name is Zipper.” She eagerly stroked the soft fur on its forehead, in between its baby horns. The creature cooed at her touch and her smile widened.

“He likes you.” Alec said quietly at the same time the Butcher assured the adults, “The Zypher is but a babe itself. Has no teeth to speak of and relies on its keeper to feed and care for it until it comes of age.” 

Darcy frowned at the man. “Don’t it have a mom and dad?” 

The Butcher rolled his eyes at her. “Zypher parents do not coddle their young. They are left to bond and fend for themselves from birth.”

“That seems a little harsh.” She said under her breath.

Alec responded. “Really? Sounds about right to me.” 

“What does Calix and his boss want with it?” Yondu stared at the creature in Alec’s arms speculatively. 

The Butcher shrugged, “I do not know. But I will tell you, I am glad to be rid of it. Once grown Zyphers can become ferocious man eating monsters.” After a beat he added, “And their meat doesn’t sell well. Too bitter no matter how it’s seasoned.” 

Darcy gasped at him. “You would eat him?! But he’s so fluffy and cute.”

Yondu put a hand on her shoulder and pulled her away from the boy and the creature. “Do not get attached girl.” He warned. 

The Butcher looked down his nose at her with a dark look on his face. “I am a butcher by trade and have taken the moniker as my name. If I can kill it and sell it, it doesn’t matter to me how fluffy or cute something is.” There was something in the man’s gaze that made her grateful Yondu had pulled her closer to him. “Meat is meat little girl. You would do well to remember that.” 

“I’m gon’ protect him though.” Alec said with pride in his voice. “It’s why we found each other.” 

The Butcher rolled his eyes. “You found that miserable creature because you were poking around where you shouldn’t have. Serves you right to have to undergo a lengthy and painful treatment to become unbounded with that thing.”

“I’ll never un-bond with Zipper. He’s my friend and I love him.” Alec shouted defiantly. 

Yondu ignored the boy’s protests. He fixed Butcher with a pointed look. “Who is this kid to you?” 

“My dearly departed sisters spawn. She dropped dead and they dropped him on my doorstep.” The man answered. “It is the law, I had to take him in or face time in prison.” 

“She didn’t drop dead.” Alec frowned, “Somebody killed her.”

“She had a heart attack.” Butcher said pointedly, he glared at his nephew, “He has delusions of grandeur, ignore him, he claims my sister was in bed with some nefarious persons. She was a whore. He is the product of her using expired birth control. End of story.”

“What’s a whore?” Darcy asked. Yondu’s eyes looked panicked for a second. When the Butcher opened his mouth to answer her Yondu hurriedly cut him off saying, “Shut it!” 

He glared at Butcher, “She don’t need to know that.” He turned to her and glared, “You don’t need to know that.” 

She pouted about that, but was soon distracted by Butcher letting out a mocking laugh. “You seek to keep her innocent? In your line of work?” The man’s laughter rang out and she could see Lutz tensing up and Yondu clenching his teeth. They didn’t like Butcher. Neither did she.

“Fools.” Butcher declared.

“Why are you selling the Zypher if it’s bonded to your nephew?” Lutz asked.

The butcher laughed out loud again, this time he truly seemed amused. Darcy didn’t get the joke. When the man composed himself he explained, “You think I’m selling the creature?” 

Butcher looked into Yondu’s eyes as he said, “I’m selling the boy. The creature is just a nuisance that is accompanying him to his new master. Something to placate him into obedience.”

“Like I’m not itching to get away from you as fast as I can.” Alec grumbled under his breath.

Yondu’s body stiffened behind her. Darcy looked up and saw an odd expression on his face. It wasn’t sad, more sick? With a dash of angry? She didn’t know for sure, but something inside her wanted to offer him comfort all the same. She reached out and grabbed Yondu’s hand. His eyes cut down to her. 

“Yondu?” She knew there was a question on her face. She’d been on several ‘missions’ in the past year and usually when she was confused about what was going on all she had to do was say his name and give him a look and he’d explain the ‘grown up’ stuff as best he could. But this time he didn’t do that. 

Yondu stared down at her and she watched as emotion flickered across his face. He squeezed her hand before looking back over to the butcher. He shook off her hand and moved forward putting himself in between her and Butcher. 

“We don’t deal in kids.” Yondu stated firmly. Butcher leaned to the side so he could look around Yondu and he eyed her. 

“You used to.” Butcher said plainly, “In fact, I do believe that is why Calix hired you.” 

There was a beat before Yondu answered. “Well, we don’t anymore.” 

“Boss.” Lutz said quietly, “You sure about this?” 

“Whatever.” Butcher rolled his eyes, “I’ll let Calix and his employer know you’ve backed out of the agreement.” He smiled evilly, “I’m sure he’ll take it well.” 

“You do that.” Yondu taunted. When Butcher grabbed Alec by the collar of his shirt, Darcy bristled. Butcher pulled him roughly to his side, but Alec began to struggle, kicking at his uncle and slapping at the grabbing hands on his body. 

“We’re not going to let him take Alec are we?” She inquired shrilly. “Butchers a fluffy animal killer!” 

“It’s okay.” Alec tried to assure her as he gave up the fight and went limp. His voice became hallow as he said, “I’ll be fine.” 

Butcher got him in a head lock and grinned evilly at her. “Yes sweet girl, he’ll be fine. Once I beat the fight out of him.” 

“Hey!” Yondu said harshly. “Let ‘em go.” 

“What? Are you going to tell me what I can do with my property now?” Butcher looked offended. 

“People aren’t property.” Darcy told him as she balled her hands up into fists.

Butcher sneered. “Don’t be so naive little girl.” His eyes cut over to Yondu and he smiled. “You’ve trained her well, I applaud you. Her loyalty and ignorance must have made teaching her obedience very entertaining.” 

“Let him go.” She repeated firmly. “Or else.” 

“Or else what?” Butcher snarled. 

“Or else me.” She said in a dark voice. 

Butcher laughed at her face. “You think I’m afraid of a little thing like you? Girl, I skin things bigger than you for breakfast.”

“Oh yeah,” Yondu said tauntingly, “How about me?” He then threw back the flap of his coat and whistled. His arrow came to life and finally the butcher looked a little afraid. 

“What-what are you doing.” Butcher stammered. 

“Looks like we’re taking the boy with us.” Lutz translated for the still whistling Captain. 

“Let Alec go.” Darcy demanded. “Or Yondu will kill you.” 

The arrow moved to hover in front of the butchers forehead. It began spinning slowly pressing into his skin lightly but with increasing pressure if the man’s panicked expression was anything to go by. 

“I have friends in high places.” Butcher boasted. “You can’t do this to me.” 

“Five seconds.” Lutz warned as the arrow pierced through the man’s skin and blood dripped down his forehead.

“I’ll call the Nova after you.” Butcher’s bluffed even as his hold on Alec’s throat loosened and the boy began coughing. 

“Four seconds.” 

“Calix and the senator will come after you.” Butcher tried to scare them. “I’ll make sure of it.” 

“Three seconds.” Lutz prompted. Darcy was proud that Lutz and Yondu didn’t seemed moved by the threats. The arrow digging into Butchers skin sped up spinning faster and faster, burrowing deeper and deeper.

“I’ll kill you for this.” Butcher growled. Alec’s eyes were wide and locked onto Yondu as he caught his breath finally, Darcy could only imagine what he thought of them.

“Two seconds.” Butcher released Alec completely. Lutz smirked at the man, “Good choice.” 

With an annoyed expression Butcher tried to bat the arrow away but with a whistle Yondu had it speeding out of his reach and back into place on his hip holster. With the eminent threat to his life removed the butcher’s panic transformed into rage. With a roar he lunged at Yondu. 

Butcher was a big man with a large belly but also broad shoulders and height, he probably outweighed Yondu by fifty pounds. So when he tackled him, Yondu went down hard. And so would have Darcy as she was standing right behind him, but Lutz pulled her out of the way at the last second.

Butcher sat up atop Yondu pinning the man underneath his bulk and began wailing on him with his meaty fists. But, the thing was, Darcy _was right there_. 

He only got in two hits before she shook off Lutz’s hand on her shoulder and darted forward. She grabbed the man’s fist stopping his assault. He looked up at her surprised, she didn’t quip or smirk, she just acted, punching Butcher in the face.

Regret washed over because when she hit him, she was angry. Angry about the butcher selling his nephew like he was a cow. Angry about the man choking Alec out. Angry that he would try and attack her dad. She was so angry that when she punched him in the face she did so with all the power she had in her.

For all her lessons in self-control and restraint in the heat of battle, when Darcy was really angry she just couldn’t hold back her strength.

Her fist went through his face like a knife through butter, and became lodged in his head. Her eyes widened as she realized what she’s done. She tried to tug her fist out of his head, but it was stuck. Seeing the problem, Yondu grabbed the man’s body holding him in place for her and she pulled her hand free.

Yondu then pushed Butcher to the side, letting his corpse fall to the floor on his back. Her fist hadn’t gone all the way through his head, but he still looked like he’d been shot with a canon or something. Somehow seeing her bloody handiwork always made her the teeniest bit proud, unfortunately that pride was microscopic in comparison to the shock, guilt, mortification and anxiety she was currently awash in. 

“Ah, Darcy.” Lutz said sounding disappointed. 

Her face fell as she looked over at him and quietly apologized, “I’m sorry.” There was a tightness to her voice that meant she was close to tears and she hated herself for it. She’d just been very reckless and stupid and now she was about to cry like a big baby! She felt like a failure. 

“Don’t be sorry.” Yondu assured her as he got to his feet; he put his arm around her shoulder half hugging her, half turning her away from the gristly sight of her latest kill. “If you didn’t kill the bastard, I was gonna.”

“But I wasn’t supposed to.” She frets as she stared at her bloody hand. It wasn’t totally bloody but there was bits of…stuff sticking to her skin. Brain stuff. She shook her hand dislodging most of it. “Half my lessons are about not using my strength unless I mean to. And I didn’t mean to. I messed up again!”

“That don’t matter right now.” Yondu comforted, “Darcy. Just keep it together ‘till we get back on the ship. Yeah?” 

Yondu was looking at her expectantly. She’d killed four crew members since joining the Ravagers, and after each kill (or once it sunk in what she’d done) she’d been an inconsolable wreck for weeks afterwards. Riddled with guilt and anguish and self-hatred. It took a lot of love and support from Peter, consoling and encouragement from (mostly) Yondu and Lutz, before she was be able to function normally again. 

“I’m okay.” She weakly responded. “I can—I’m okay.” 

Yondu didn’t look convinced but he nodded at her and bent down, placing a quick kiss on her forehead murmuring, “Good girl.” 

“He said that Calix’s employer was a senator.” Lutz said to Yondu, “That could mean trouble for us.” 

Darcy examined her hand a little closer; there were bits of brain under her fingernails. Quietly she groused. “Ew.” 

“It’ll be a’right.” Yondu tried to reassure his subordinate, “With him dead, we control the narrative. Ain’t nobody gotta know.” 

Darcy didn’t understand that completely. It wasn’t as if they could hide the man’s death for long. If she focused and paid attention she could usually get the gist of the ‘grown up talk’ that she didn’t understand, mostly what she inferred was based on the looks they used while talking to each other, but just then she was too focused on trying to pick the gristle out from underneath her fingernails. It was slimy and wet and she wanted it gone.

“What about the boy?” Lutz said in a matter of fact manner. Darcy’s slowly shifted over to Alec. He was sitting on the floor next to the Zepher’s box; he had the tiny creature cuddled close to his chest. His eyes were wide and he was staring at his dead uncle, absent-mindedly stroking the Zepher’s fur to calm either the creature or himself. Maybe both.

“He’s a loose end.” Lutz said the subtext of that statement obvious. 

“Don’t even.” Yondu said harshly. She smiled briefly at Yondu’s back as he considered the boy and the problem he posed. She knew Yondu wouldn’t hurt the kid; he wasn’t that kind of man.

Lutz held up his hands as if under surrender. “I’m just pointing out the facts boss.” 

“We’ll take him with us.” Yondu said with finality. 

“Really?” Darcy questioned. 

“Yeah.” He nodded at Lutz, “Collect him.” 

Lutz moved to Alec’s side and encouraged the boy to stand, he paused to brush off the boys pants and look at him in the eyes before he stood and nodded at Yondu. “He seems fine.” 

“Thank you.” Alec’s quiet voice might as well have been a scream. The effect it had on the three of them was the same; they froze and stared at him. Alec’s eyes locked onto hers and he repeated himself. “Thank you. My uncle was a bad man. He…he hurt me and he said he was bored of me so he was selling me off so someone else could hurt me. I was just glad to get away...So, thank you. For killing him.” 

She wanted to cry, but no tears would come. She now felt guilty for feeling guilty about killing the butcher and it was confusing, but she had to say something. Alec was looking at her like he expected her to say something. In a shaky voice she said, “You’re welcome.” 

“C’mon.” Yondu put a hand on her back and guided her arm making her put her dirty hand into the pocket of her Ravagers jacket. “Act normal and--” he turned his head and ordered, “Put that thing back in its box. It’s rare, and we don’t want to get noticed.” 

“Okay.” Alec agreed easily.  
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They made it back to the ship and were flying off world within fifteen minutes. Yondu told her to take Alec and the Zepher to her and Peter’s bunk, they were all small enough to share and truthfully there weren’t a lot of free bunks on the ship. The crew was all a twitter when they found out they weren’t heading back to ‘deliver the goods’ to Calix and his boss. 

Darcy led the little boy along the long hallways of the ship, Alec’s eyes were wide with wonder. He confessed to her he’d never been off world before. 

Over the loudspeaker Yondu’s voice rang out, “We’re going to be keeping a low profile for the next couple weeks, no radio transmissions on or off the ship. And, the new kids got a man-eatin’ Zepher with him so steer clear and don’t go givin’ him any shit.”

“Is he talking about Zipper?” Alec questioned as they entered the sleeping quarters. His voice lowered in deference to the handful of bunks that were occupied by sleeping crew members. “And me?”

“He just wants the guys to leave ya alone.” Darcy assured him just as quietly, “Yondu’s good people like that. But, don’t go thinking that gives you a free pass. Just means the crew won’t beat you up. They can still mess with you in other ways, Peter will tell you.”

“Do you really think I’ll be here that long?” Alec asked. 

Darcy paused before answering. She didn’t in her heart believe that Yondu would just adopt Alec like he had her and Peter. They were a special case. And Yondu was a good guy, but he wasn’t _that_ good. “I don’t know.” She admitted, “It’ll probably take the grownups a while to figure out what to do with you.” 

She led him over to where Peter was asleep on their bed. One glance at the clock and she knew he had probably just passed out, but she couldn’t wait eight hours to dish the latest news. So, she jumped on the bed jostling him while shaking him awake whispering excitedly, “Wake up! Peter! Peter! Wake up! Peter!”

She turned and smiled over at Alec introducing him. “This is Peter.” The little boy looked amused. 

Peter startled awake fully making a ‘wha-uah’ noise. “What.” Peter snapped as he rubbed at his eyes, “What’s wrong?” 

“I made a new furry friend.” She told him quietly. “And his keeper seems pretty cool too.” 

“What?” Peter blinked away the sleep from his eyes and they bounced from her to the figure just behind her. 

“Hi.” Alec waved.

“Yondu abducted another kid?” Peter asked with shock coloring his voice. “What is he, Daddy Warbucks space edition?” 

“You were abducted?” Alec questioned with a frown.

“It’s fine.” Darcy dismissed his concern with a wave of her hand, “I’d be a science experiment or worse back on Earth. This is better.”  
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Alec and Zipper stayed with them for a month or so before they discreetly abandoned him on Krylor. Tulk’s cousin’s brother-in-law married a Krylorian but their differing biology meant they couldn’t have children. They were a sweet couple. The woman was the local school teacher and her husband was a mechanic. 

Alec liked them, but he was sad he couldn’t stay with them on the ship; the three children had really bonded. 

For the first time in ever Darcy got to be the oldest and she had really enjoyed having a playmate that was closer to her own age. And ever since she ‘saved’ him from his uncle Butcher, Alec was basically her loyal sidekick. He deferred to her on all things, copied everything she did, and basically idolized her. It was nice. 

And bonus, she was such an animal person and Zipper was never far from Alec’s side. The little creature ate plants but needed to be bottled fed and had taken a shine to Darcy. She lived for the nights Alec offered to let her feed him. He was so adorable and cute and she would miss him so much. She felt a little guilty and worried that she would miss Zipper the Zypher more than Alec the boy, and what that said about her as a person, but she figured it wasn’t the worst thing about her. 

With Alec and Zipper around to distract her, she barely spent a day consumed by her feelings over taking another life. Everyone expected her to shame spiral over her latest kill, but she didn’t. Alec had helped her see that she should not feel guilty about killing people who deserved to be killed, even if she did it on accident. If the universe was a better place without someone, and she was the one who made them go away, what was there for her to feel guilty about? 

When they were saying their goodbyes Alec made them promise to come back and visit him. She agreed and so did Peter, but she felt like she was lying even as she said the words. They really had no control over where the ship went or what jobs the Ravagers took, there was no telling if they would ever return to Krylor again. Either Alec sensed this or he figured it out himself, because the next words out of his mouth were to her and her alone. 

“Don’t forget me.” 

“Never. I promise.” She smiled at him genuinely and nodded; glad to make a promise she knew she could keep. They hugged and he whispered ‘thank you’ in her ear one more time, before he left them to join his new family. And she and Peter walked back to the ship to join theirs.  
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\-------------------------)))))))))))))))))---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------)))))))))))))))))--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Darcy’s Mission Outfit for the bar  


Calix  


Darcy’s ‘Butcher’ Mission Outfit  


Alec and Zipper the Zypher *(Alec’s baby picture is a famous actor’s baby picture and we or may not see this character again) (Let me know in the comments if you liked Alec & his little alien fur baby)  


Our Crew Reference Look Book Thingy (All Ravagers are from canon except Lutz)  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you think of the chapter? Let me know in the comments.


	4. Chapter 4 - Drowning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy talks with Kraglin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AUTHOR NOTE IN BEGINNING: Spoilers, I gave little Darcy SUPER STRENGTH and brought her into contact with a child predator for a reason but NOTHING GRAPHIC will happen to Darcy but something graphically violent might happen to the person preying on her...eventually.

Chapter 4 - Drowning  
_1991_  
_Space _  
_Peter Quill Age 11 & Darcy Age 8 _

Darcy felt uneasy as she walked down the corridors towards the observation deck. She had another lesson with Lutz on unconventional combat training and the lessons had been getting increasingly weird. But he smiled at her warmly as she entered and she couldn’t help but smile back. He just had that kind of effect on people. And, he was still one of her favorite people on the ship. 

“Hey, beautiful.” Lutz greeted, “You ready for another lesson?” 

“Mmhm.” She affirmed wordlessly. 

“Good. Good.” He turned and fiddled with the camera he had begun using to record their sessions for them to ‘review’ together. Over his shoulder he told her, “Just take off your clothes and put on that outfit I laid out for you over there in the corner. You see it?” 

“Yeah, I see it.” She walked over to the corner and sighed when she saw what Lutz had left her. She picked up the offensive shoe and held it up as she whirled around to berate him. “Fuzzy slippers again?” 

Lutz looked up and grinned at her ire. “You got to be ready to fight no matter the circumstances pretty girl.” 

She pouted and her arm fell to her side, “But there’s no traction on the slippers. They make it hard to stay on my feet.” 

“Hence the training.” Lutz pointed out. He nodded at her encouragingly, “Go on. Get dressed.” 

With a pout she peeled off her practical jumper and put on the pink ensemble of frilly pink impracticality. There were socks and slippers and underwear and a skirt that was so sheer and flimsy that her panties showed through, and on top she would be wearing a cape with a hood. It wasn’t that she didn’t like the clothes, she did, they were pretty and soft and totally not what she would choose to be wearing if she were in a bar fight. And that, apparently, was the whole point. 

The shoes on her feet made her unsteady which weakened any punches she threw or kicks she aimed. The skirt made her uncomfortable about her underwear being exposed. And the top, while adorable, would restrict her arms and she doubted the hood would help with her peripheral vision. It was an outfit designed to fuck with her mental and physical ability to fight back.

“Aw. You look pretty as a picture.” Lutz cooed.

Darcy stared back at him blankly. “I look like bunny flavored bubble gum.” 

Lutz chuckled at that and then turned halfway away from her he pulled out a small tube of something and smeared it across his lips. When he faced her and grinned his lips were shiny, he pressed them together and made a noise. He held out the tube in offering as he drew closer, “You want some?”’

“Nah.” 

He gently grabbed her chin in his hands, tilting her face up for his perusal. “You sure?” He ran the pad of his thumb over her lower lip. “Looking a little dry there pretty girl.” 

Darcy narrowed her eyes at him, “What’s it smell like?”

He grinned and bent down puckering his lips at her. “Take a wiff and find out.” 

She leant forward and sniffed him, letting out a cry of surprise as he darted forward and kissed the end of her nose. “Ah!” She exclaimed as she rubbed her nose, “Now my nose is wet.” 

“But how does it smell?” Lutz asked as he stood up.

She paused before answering, “Pretty good.” She then puckered her lips in much the same way he had prompting, “Okay give me some.” 

Lutz painted on the chap-stick and she copied his early actions, pressing her lips together rubbing the gloss in before parting her lips with a ‘muah’ sound. Lutz pulled the hood up onto her head and looked down at her lovingly. “Beautiful.” 

“So what are we doing today?” She asked. Despite the growing weirdness of her lessons and Lutz’s intentions to annoy her with an outfit she hated, she still enjoyed the physical exercises. There was nothing more empowering than throwing around a man who was two times her size. 

“Wrestling.” He answered with bright eyes. 

“Wrestling?” She repeated in a skeptical tone. “Like, on the floor? Ew. When was the last time this room got mopped?”

Lutz rolled his eyes and moved over to his things, he picked up a big blue rolled up thing and shook it at her. “On mats, so we don’t get hurt and so your pretty little ass doesn’t touch so much as a spec of dust.” 

She stuck her tongue out at him brat-ily, but she helped him lay out the mat in the middle of the floor. “Now what?” 

“Now you go down on all fours and I try to wrestle you onto your back pinning you to the mat and winning the match.” Lutz answered with a strange look in his eyes. He seemed excited but also, there was something else she couldn’t put her finger on.

“This sounds stupid and pointless.” She said flatly. “You’re not going to be able to pin me, I’m too strong.”

“We’ll see.” Lutz grinned. With a shrug she did as he asked and got on her hands and knees in the middle of the floor. “Remember pretty girl,” He put a hand on her back then let it slide around to her stomach, he pulled her upwards so her back arched more, mumbling ‘better.’ Then he got on his knees behind her saying, “You can always tap out if I’m too rough with you.”  
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Her back was flat on the mat, Lutz was on top of her body wriggling, and there was a wide smile on her face as she asked him in a sing song voice, “I’m not letting you go until you say it.” 

Her arms were tightly wrapped around Lutz’s throat and his face was growing redder and redder but Darcy didn’t let up until he finally tapped her on the arm croaking, “Okay, okay. I ‘ive up.” 

She let him go and smirked triumphantly as he threw himself away from her gasping for air. She rolled to her feet easily and excitedly proclaimed, “Winner and still championnnn, me! Darcy! Yay!” 

She shook her booty in his face and danced around Lutz as he panted in the center of the mat. Gloating in a chipper voice she proclaimed, “I win. I win. I win. Na-nu, na-nu-na.” 

They’d been training for over an hour now. With her strength any move he showed her she mastered quickly. There was no hold she couldn’t break, no position he put her in she couldn’t overpower him and turn to her advantage. 

“You sure about that sweet girl?” Lutz taunted in a throaty voice. It was all the warning she got before her legs got taken out from underneath her. She fell to the floor with a thud, landing flat on her back. With a quick punch to her throat Lutz had _her_ gasping for breath.

The man she thought she had beaten was on his feet in less than a second and then looming over her. She reached out and grabbed his leg, prepared to send him flying into the opposite wall, but too quickly he produced something from his pocket and sprayed it into her eyes. 

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!” She screamed in pain. Her eyes felt like they were burning, she immediately started crying and rubbing at them helplessly. She was blinded.

“Sorry sweet girl, but you know I can’t make it easy on you.” Lutz said comfortingly as he aimed vicious kick to her head. “Gotta be prepared to face an opponent who doesn’t fight fair.”

Darcy rolled over onto her belly, getting her knees under her so she wasn’t defenselessly lying on her back. It took a lot of self-control to remove her hands from her eyes and hold them out in front of her, trying to feel or sense where Lutz was and where the next attack would come from. 

“It’s only temporary.” Lutz explained from out of her reach, her head snapped in the direction of his voice and she got to her feet shakily knowing that he would seek to press the advantage with her handicapped like this. “Your eyes will stop burning within an hour or so.” 

“An hour!?” She screeched. Lutz kicked her in the back and she stumbled forward. She didn’t fall to the floor though. 

Turning slowly she tried listening for his footsteps but he was barefoot and moved soundlessly. She kicked off her bunny slippers, knowing she didn’t need the additional handicap of being off balance and traction-less she widened her stance making her more solid and harder to push around by the unexpected blows. 

“Good.” Lutz praised and encouraged. “Get rid of the things that hinder you Darcy. Don’t be embarrassed or afraid of how you look; if this was a real fight, I’d want you to do everything in your power to even the odds. And when opportunity comes, attack without mercy.”

She whipped off the coat cape and froze, waiting. Listening.

“You look so innocent.” Lutz commented. He was on her left. She lunged but he dodged out of the way, her movements obviously being telegraphed. Or maybe he was just faster than she thought. He clucked his tongue at her. “Too slow.”

She was cold standing there in nothing more than a pair of socks and panties and her pathetic excuse for a skirt. Goose pimples rose along her skin but she refused to be distracted. It was a point of pride that she didn’t call a time out or ask him to slow down or go easy on her. She wasn’t a baby anymore, she was a big girl and Lutz was one of the only ones who never held back on her. And thus she’d never failed to master a skill or learn a lesson when he was the one teaching her. 

“You cheated.” She accused softly. She needed him to talk so she could pin point where he was. Lutz responded with a sharp crack to her head. He’d hit her with something long and made of metal. She crumpled slightly but turned that movement into a roll and got away from the reach of his weapon. 

She growled, “Do I get a big metal stick to hit you with too?” 

From across the room Lutz spoke in a honeyed voice. “You really think if I wanted to kill you I’d let you see me coming? You really think if someone wanted to kill you, they would care about rules or cheating?” There was huskiness in his tone as he said, “You look so sweet and innocent like this. Lips shiny, cheeks flush, skin bare to the world and baby soft to the touch.” 

“I’m not a baby.” She growled as she balled her hands into fists, anticipation of the next blow creating tension throughout her body. “I think if you wanted to kill me you’d do it with poison or blowing me out the air lock or somethin’ like that cuz we both know I’m still going to win. No matter what you do to cheat this time. I’m gonna beat you Lutz.”

During the past couple of ‘unconventional combat training’ lessons with Lutz they’d been experimenting with handicapping her in different ways. Fighting with her hands tied behind her back, while holding a sack of clothing meant to represent dynamite she wasn’t allowed to let drop, even intoxicated. He thought up a lot of fun ways to metaphorically and literally handicap her during fights. 

He’d been very dedicated in teaching her how to fight through whatever hindrance she’d been saddled with and the results had been undeniable. She was learning so many ways to use her strength in different ways and even how to win a fight without it. She was rarely beaten flat out, which had become a point of pride for her.

“You’re cocky.” Lutz observed.

“I have good reason to be.” Darcy boasted as she jumped into the air in the direction of his voice. She landed on the floor with a loud thud and lashed out with her fist, clipping Lutz in the shoulder surprising him. However, still being blind she wasn’t able to immediately follow up the hit with another as he ducked and rolled out of the way. “Crap.” 

He hit her in the knee with the metal weapon and then wacked her in the face sending her flying into the air only to land on her back. He then pressed the advantage. 

Lutz swung the metal weapon with as much force as he possessed hitting her in the stomach, she let out a wheeze and instinctually curled up to protect herself. She lay there a bit in shock as blow after blow rained down on her. He’d never taken the training this far. 

The metal weapon was painful as it struck her over and over again but she suspected if she tried to fight back right away he would retreat out of her reach again. She could tell that nothing in her body was being broken from all the abuse it was taking. Not her skin or her bones, Lutz just didn’t have the strength to truly do her any harm. She might have bruises from it, but she knew without a doubt she could survive the attack. 

So she curled up and covered her head and let him hit her. Over and over again he hit her, wordlessly but letting out the occasional grunt. 

And then he seemed to get tired. The time in between blows grew longer and longer. He started breathing harder. And that’s when she knew it was time. 

She lashed out grabbing his leg; she knew where he was now that he’d show himself by attacking. Her hand was like a vice on his appendage and Lutz seemed to sense his mistake. He began hitting her with a renewed vigor but it was too late. She let her hand trail down his leg until she found his ankle and then she squeezed. She kept up the pressure, wrapping both hands around the lower limb joint, she squeezed until she heard a noise somewhere in between a popping and grinding sound. 

Lutz let out a cry of pain, “AGH!” 

Taking the lesson to heart, Darcy decided to do some cheating of her own. With Lutz right in front of her, she knew where all his body parts were without even looking, so she let go of his ankle only to ball it up into a fist, so she could punch him in the dick. _Gently._

“Heeooooff.” Lutz throatily exclaimed as he fell to the floor. 

Darcy, her eyes still burning, her body aching from the many hits she withstood, smiled. She’d won.

The pair lay on the floor panting and in pain; she wondered idly if Lutz would actually be mad at her. From the beginning he, Yondu, Peter, and basically all the men she liked on the ship had told her to be very careful about injuring a man’s genitalia, how sensitive it was and how truly hurtful it would be if she punched or kicked someone in their private parts. But, she figured the whole lesson was kind of centered on cheating and pressing an advantage when you had one. Right? 

“Lutz? You okay?” Darcy asked as she rubbed at her eyes and sat up. Lutz only groaned in answer.

“I still can’t see.” She pouted mournfully. “…You’re not mad at me are you?” 

There was a grunt and some rustling before Lutz responded. “No. I’m not mad.” There was a beat before he added, “Hell when my dick stops throbbing I might even be proud.”  
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They were on an undeveloped world hiding out from the Nova after another successful robbery of fancy guns or something, Darcy didn’t really know or care about what they’d stolen from the space cops, she just knew it was expensive and selling it meant Yondu said she could afford _real_ iced creams when they finally got paid. 

Everyone was taking advantage of the unscheduled down time in their own ways. Some chose to sleep, some to explore the surrounding wooded area, others were gathered around the makeshift camp they’d erected outside the ship playing cards and gambling. They’d have to remain powered down and hidden for the next couple of days before the Nova cleared the area and they were free to continue on there merry way. 

Darcy had been left to amuse herself as Yondu had decided it was the perfect place to teach Peter how to shoot and Lutz was still in medical after their last ‘lesson’. She’d dislocated his ankle apparently, but he wasn’t too sore at her considering he’d basically been on vacation due to the injury, frankly she thought he was milking it for sympathy a little too much, but whatever. 

When she tried to follow Yondu and Peter into the woods, the Captain had turned her away saying guns weren’t for little girls. He’d tried to soften the rejection by saying her hands were too small but he’d teach her when she was older, but she knew that was bullshit. 

Peter and Yondu had been growing closer and closer lately and Darcy didn’t like it. Now that Peter was older it was like Yondu felt he could share super secret stuff with him or something! He’d even begun teaching Peter how to pilot the ship. Something Darcy had been begging to learn since forever. It just wasn’t fair. 

She tried not to let the hurt show and had subsequently stomped away to pout in private, grumbling as she left about not needing a stupid gun to protect herself anyway. After all, what use was a gun against something as powerful as her? 

Both men let her go. She rubbed at her eyes refusing to let tears fall when no one chased after her. She had figured at least Peter would want to see if she was okay, but when fifteen minutes passed and no one followed, she gave up waiting and just started walking.

She’d been told not to stray too far from the ship but in her anger and disappointment at being barred from Yondu and Peter’s gun lessons, she’d walked heedless of how far she was going or what direction. She wasn’t certain how long she walked for, but she stopped when she got tired.

The planet they were on reminded her a little of Earth. Not that she had many memories of Earth left. Sadly it seemed that the older she got the less she remembered of her home planet. She still remembered her dad and how much she loved him and he loved her. She remembered Auntie Meredith and Grandpa Quill and her mom and how mean she was. But other things, little things, Peter would mention sometimes…she tried not to dwell on it. 

Tired and lost but not willing to admit it, Darcy followed the sound of rushing water and found a sight so foreign and beautiful she had no words for it. There was this rocky cliff thing and water was spewing out the top into a big pond below. The water looked clear and it glistened in the duel sun’s afternoon light. She was so hot and sweaty from her trek she was half tempted to dive into the water despite not knowing how to swim.

“Hey!” A voice called out to her. “What are you doin’ this far out?” 

Darcy had been so taken by the natural beauty around her that she failed to notice the familiar face swimming in the water. “Kraglin?”

Kraglin, shirtless to her eyes for the first time since she’d met him, swam to the edge of the water. “What the hell Darcy? Does the Captain know you’re out and about wandering into would-be danger as you please?” 

“No.” She answered honestly before pouting and crossing her arms defensively, “But it’s not like he would care if he did.” With a scowl she revealed, “He’s with Peter doing stupid boy stuff.” 

Kraglin pulled himself out of the water giving Darcy a good look at his body. He wore only his under pants and she looked him up and down, frowning at what she saw. Kraglin had a lot of tattoos and more than a couple of ugly looking scars. He was also skinnier than she’d thought him to be underneath the bulky Ravager jacket he wore on a near daily basis. She couldn’t help but compare the man to Lutz and Yondu, both of whom were broad shouldered and solid looking men in comparison.

The entire crew had been abuzz with the latest gossip for the past month or so. They thought she and Peter hadn’t noticed but it was obvious some funny tension had developed between Yondu, Kraglin, and Lutz. She and Peter were pretty sure it all had to do with Yondu naming Lutz his second in command and Kraglin being jealous about it. 

But in her mind when Darcy compared the handsome and skilled Lutz with the wet image of the Kraglin before her, the reasoning behind Yondu’s decision was obvious. Kraglin was small and weak and not worthy of the title. Yondu had chosen his second wisely. And in Darcy’s opinion, Kraglin needed to stop being such a whiny bitch about it. 

The skinny Xandarian had been snippy with everyone since Yondu’s announcement. He even stopped trying to be friendly with _her_! Seemingly uncaring about staying on her good side despite how lethal that had proven to be. 

Kraglin grabbed her by the elbow and his eyes scanned the tree line. “You just wandered off and no one followed ya? Do you know how dangerous that is? I—ugh!” He lowered his head and rubbed at the bridge of his nose grumbling under his breath, “Can’t a man have a little peace? Now I gotta deal with you and--” 

“Oh please, Kraglin don’t be stupid.” Darcy pulled her arm out of his grasp and retorted, “I may look like a defenseless little girl but you and I both know who’s got the bigger body count between the two of us.” Taking umbrage with the whole situation she added in a voice chock full of antagonism, “Besides, it’s not like you outrank me.” 

Kraglin looked down at her with a stormy expression and she only had a second to regret her hurtful words before he was reacting to them. He grabbed fistfuls of the fabric at her hips and then he was lifting her into the air putting them eye to eye. Quickly she tried to school her features into an unflappable expression, but she was truly startled by Kraglin’s uncharacteristic gall. He practically growled at her demandingly. “What did you say, Terran?” 

Kraglin was normally more mellow and easy going than the rest of the crew. He was unflinchingly loyal to Yondu and generally nice to her and somewhat amused by Peter. But now there was anger in the way he grabbed her, fury in his eyes and a dangerous aura radiating off of him. 

She knew Kraglin really had been hurt by the Captain’s actions, but she was too caught up in her own emotions to be sensitive to how he must be feeling. With a cheerless grin she taunted, “You heard me underling. You. Don’t. Outrank. Me.” 

Without so much as grunt Kraglin threw into the middle of the water with a strength she didn’t know he possessed. She was so surprised by the action she didn’t have time to think or attack or even close her mouth, she just sailed through the air and landed with a splash. 

The water much colder than she had thought it would be, it was an unpleasant shock to her system. She shook her head and flailed her limbs as water went up her nose and into her mouth unexpectedly, burning painfully as she snapped her mouth closed and blinked her eyes blearily. Under the water everything appeared blurry. She looked for the light knowing light meant the surface and the surface meant air. But she couldn’t see anything but black. 

She was scared for the first time in a long time. 

She felt lightheaded and her chest hurt. 

She needed air but there was only water. 

Her thrashing slowed down to a crawl. 

Thinking was becoming difficult. 

She wondered idly if she was drowning. She gave in to the darkness tugging at her mind. It hurt, but it also felt like falling asleep.  
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She woke up in action, spitting up water. 

“Oh thank god.” Kraglin sighed in relief. Darcy was confused and disoriented. 

Kraglin patted her on the back and turned her onto her side as she vomited up more water. “Get it out. Just get it all out, girl.” 

Finally empty, she sagged onto the ground pressing her face into the dirt uncaring how gross it was just happy her stomach wasn’t clenching painfully making her retch any longer. 

“God Darce, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I thought you could swim. I was mad and I—I swear I thought ya knew how to swim.” Kraglin babbled at her and she understood what had happened. She had drowned.

“My fault.” Darcy whimpered pitifully, “I was mean.” 

“No! God no. I was—I lost my temper. I’m sorry kid. I didn’t mean to take it out on you. I never—I never meant to hurt you.” Kraglin looked down at her with an expression of self-loathing. “Hell, I almost killed ya.”

He had. She didn’t feel the need to lie just to comfort him. “Yeah.” She agreed in a flat voice. “You did.” 

“Cap will have my head for this.” Kraglin lamented. “Deserve it too.” 

“No.” She disagreed in the same flat tone. “You don’t.” 

Kraglin looked at her and she looked away. He had been hurting and she had picked at his wounds with her words, just to be spiteful, just because she knew it would hurt him. “I’m a bad person.” She announced seemingly randomly. Her lower lip quivered as her eyes became wet, this time not with pond water, but with tears. “Aren’t I? I’m a murderer and a pirate and I was mean to you for no reason and. I’m a bad person.”

“Darcy, you’re not--” Kraglin tried to protest, he even reached out a hand to her shoulder, trying to awkwardly comfort her but she shook him off and sat up abruptly. 

She couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. They slid down her face faster than she could wipe them away. She wished Peter was there and not Kraglin. She and the Ravager had never been all that close, he was one of Yondu’s most trusted crew members and all, but he and she just didn’t have that much interaction. And thus the idea of telling him how she felt was agonizing, but she felt like a great weight was crushing her and she just had to speak and get it off her chest. 

Words spilled from her lips quickly as she spoke from the heart, “Yondu is out teaching Peter how to shoot guns. And last month he taught him how to pickpocket stuff. And two months before that Yondu started giving him lessons in driving the ship and--and I’ve asked to learn too and he just won’t teach me. I’ve begged and whined and tried the big eye blinking things but nothings worked. He won’t teach me the stuff he’s teaching Peter because he likes Peter better or because he’s a boy or a’cuz he’s older and I’m so mad and sad about it! Like, that won’t ever change. There’s nothing I can do about being younger and being a girl and he, he, Yondu obviously thinks I’m too small and stupid and he don’t like me anymore and everything feels different and it’s changing and I don’t like it and I can’t stop it and—and--”

Her words dissolved into tears as she began to cry in earnest. The truth was that everyone in the crew had been treating Peter differently for a while now, not just Yondu. Peter had done something on a mission, some sleight of hand to recover a small priceless bauble when they all thought they had lost the bounty they were after. In that one act he had gained the crews respect. 

Peter was finally being accepted by the other Ravagers, almost like he was one of them. And while everyone remained kind and cordial to her, now that she had seen Peter being treated like one of the crew, she couldn’t help but notice all the little ways she was not.

And it hurt. It hurt when crew members grew quiet when she entered a room. It hurt when she was shuffled off to bed just when everyone was starting to have fun. It hurt when she was left with a disgruntled babysitter because all the others were visiting prostitutes or spending credits in other nefarious ways. It hurt when she was excluded, but it hadn’t always. Before, when she and Peter were treated like children _together_ it wasn’t so bad. Now that Peter was starting to be _included_ in the ‘grown up’ stuff, it just hurt so much more. 

She didn’t understand. She was the strongest person on the crew. She had killed people! She should be worthy of being a fully fledged Ravager if Peter was. No matter her age or gender. Sometimes it felt like the only person who never held back when it came to her was Lutz. He didn’t hold back when they fought and he didn’t hold back when she walked into the middle of an ‘adult conversation’. He was the only one though.

Deep in her feelings, the world fell away as she cried. Until…she felt a tentative cold hand on her shoulder. And when she didn’t react, that hand became two. And then she was being pulled into Kraglin’s lap and then she was winding her arms around his bony shoulders. Holding him as close as he was holding her.

She appreciated the comforting embrace, but she really appreciated the way he didn’t lie to her. He didn’t tell her what she said wasn’t true. He didn’t defend Yondu or his decision to trust Peter more than her. He didn’t tell her she was being crazy and that what was happening was all in her imagination. He just held her until she stopped crying.  
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Sometime later, feeling empty Darcy finally met Kraglin’s eyes. “I’m sorry I was mean to you. I think you’d make a good first mate and it sucks that Yondu didn’t pick you even though you’re super loyal and qualified an’ everything.” 

Kraglin swallowed thickly and ducked his head acknowledging, “It does suck.” 

She slid off his lap, fully prepared to get up and have Kraglin walk her back to the ship while she silently stewed feeling guilty and stupid and like a big baby. But again, he surprised her.

“So, you don’t know how to swim?” He asked. Darcy blinked at him owlishly and he continued with a small smile, “The suns will go down in a couple hours. If you want to learn, you’ll have to pay attention and listen to me.” 

She looked away from him, back to the water. A shiver went up her spine as she thought of how it felt when she’d been trapped under the water. Choking on the water. Desperate for air. 

Kraglin clapped her on the shoulder and her eyes darted back to him. 

“Yondu don’t have favorites kid. He made Lutz first mate because he’s a loyal son of a bitch and he’s smart and he’s got more experience than me and, you trusted him. And the crew likes him. He’s..he’s a people person in a way I’m not.” He gestured to himself, “I mean, I’m the kind of asshole who gets his feelings hurt by a little girl and ends up nearly drowning her.” 

“You didn’t know I couldn’t swim.” Darcy defended. 

He snorted at that. “That don’t make what I did any better.” 

She had nothing to say to that. She could have died, he’d been reckless, but she more than anyone understood what it was like to have destructive temper tantrums. Kraglin shook his head and attempted to redirect the conversation. “Listen, what I mean is. There’s a reason why the Captain does what he does. Taking Peter under his wing? That’s just Yondu’s way of making sure Quill can survive on his own. You, kid, you can already do that.”

She gave him a flat look. “I _literally_ just drowned.” 

Kraglin chuckled, “Alright. Point taken.” 

He ran a hand through the wet hair on his head pushing it away from his face. For the first time since she’d known him, he was clean, really clean. Without all the dirt and grime and ten layers of sweat and oil covering his skin, he looked so much younger. 

She knew that besides her and Peter, he was the youngest member of the crew, but until just then he never looked it. She wondered how old he was but held her tongue, worried it was rude to ask. He looked 25-ish. And truthfully he wasn’t as handsome as Lutz, but he was by no means hideous. She wondered how he had become a member of the crew. She wondered how despite his age he had become so trusted by the Captain.

“Kid,” Kraglin caught her eyes with his and the look on his face was so serious that she sat up a little straighter in anticipation of whatever he was going to say next. “You shouldn’t be in such a rush to grow up and be like the rest of us. The crew likes you, they care. And, I know at first everyone was nice to you because they were afraid you’d throw a fit and kill ‘em, but it’s not like that anymore. Tulk gives you math lessons not because he likes to hear you whine and complain about how much you hate math, but because he don’t want you to be stupid and get cheated ‘cause you can’t add proper. Horuz doesn’t suck at WordBuilders, he plays with ya to help improve your vocabulary and lets you win every once in a while cause you do that doofy dance when you do. And Yondu,” He let out a sigh and she inhaled, waiting with bated breath for his next revelation. 

“Yondu loves you. He don’t say it. Likely won’t even admit it to himself, but he does. I know it. You make him laugh. You impress him and surprise him. He thinks you’re adorable which is why he lets you get away with raising hell, but it’s also why he’s trying to protect you. Being a little girl? Being innocent in so many important ways, it’s special. And you’ll never be like this again. So don’t blame Yondu for trying to give you the things he never had growin’ up. All of us…We’re trying to preserve your childhood while you’re still a child.” 

She looked away and towards the water as she mulled over what he had said. He let her think. They sat side by side for about five minutes before he broke the silence. 

“So, you want to learn to swim or not?” Kraglin asked interrupting her thoughts. 

Her heart skipped a beat. The fear must have played across her face because Kraglin put an arm around her shoulders and gave her a half hug. “It’s okay to be afraid,” He counseled, “And, I really am sorry about throwing you into the deep end, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to let drowning to be your last experience with the water. It’ll fester and become a trauma you can’t overcome without butt loads of therapy, and we Ravagers don’t really have time for that shit.”

His words had a warming affect on her. From the inside out she just felt better. About being excluded. About being ‘less than’ just by virtue of her age and gender. And about the water.

“It’s okay.” She said in a small voice. “I understand what it feels like to snap and just lash out.”

“Thanks.” 

Her eyes drifted back to the water. Despite her earlier experience it still looked as lovely and majestic as ever. The sunlight shone down at just the right angle to make the water sparkle and dance enticingly. The spot was truly picturesque, almost seemed like something out of a fairy tale. 

“I don’t want to drown again.” She confessed, turning to face Kraglin not bothering to hide her worried frown.

“Then let’s teach you how to swim.” He said with a nod.  
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She and Kraglin spent the afternoon alone in the secluded waterfall lake. He taught her how to float first, then to swim, and finally how to go underwater without holding her nose. By the end of the day she was cold, tired, and feeling proud of herself.

When they returned to the ship Yondu was in the middle of splitting up the crew into search parties to look for her. Everyone looked relieved by their sudden appearance. 

Yondu yelled at her and scolded Kraglin for no particular reason, but from the look in his eyes she knew he had been scared something had happened to her. He was worried because he cared, it was written all over him. She didn’t know how she could have missed it before.

When she jumped up and wrapped her arms around Yondu’s neck stopping his words mid-rant it wasn’t a gamble. She knew he would catch her reflexively, she knew he wouldn’t throw her down. No one said a word about it as the crowd disbanded, the crew happy to go back to whatever they had been doing before the alarm had been raised. 

Quietly she hugged Yondu and apologized in his ear. “I’m sorry I worried you. I didn’t mean to and I won’t do it again, but I sort of drowned and learned how to swim today so, I’m really tired and I can’t walk anymore. Can you take me to my room please Daddy?”

No one but Kraglin had the balls enough to snicker as the Captain relented to her request, hitching her up higher in his arms as she wrapped her legs around his torso and settled her head on his shoulder. 

“Fuckin’ kids.” Yondu muttered as she began twirling a wet strand of hair around her finger. “Killin’ mah reputation.”

Feeling safe she let her eyes fall closed and trusted what Kraglin had told her was correct. Yondu loved her. And it was okay to let him and the Ravagers take care of her, to protect her from the ‘grown up’ stuff in the universe. She didn’t have to be strong all the time. She wasn’t less important to them because she was a little girl, she was special _because_ she was a little girl. She wasn’t Peter. She would never be treated like Peter. Because she was Darcy. And really, did she want it any other way?

Nope.  
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AUTHOR NOTE at the END: Spoilers, Lutz is a very bad guy! And a pedophile, but rest assured I gave little Darcy SUPER STRENGTH and brought these two characters together for a reason (mostly a desire to pit a child predator against a child who is strong enough to rip a grown man’s head off). NOTHING GRAPHIC will happen to Darcy but something graphically violent might happen to Lutz! –--just thought I should put that warning out there before you saw the outfit that Lutz dressed Darcy up in. Sorry if this spoiler ruins the story for you, but I wouldn't want anyone triggered or blindsided by the kind of story I'm trying to tell.  
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Darcy’s ‘WRESTLING’ outfit picked out for her by the pedophilic Lutz  


Baby faced Kraglin  


Darcy’s outfit when Kraglin throws her into the Waterfall Lake  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um, I don't want to get anyone's hopes up, but I'm re-reading "Save the Citizen" (my unfinished story) & I am currently gearing up to finish it. In case anyone cares.


	5. Chapter 5 - Daddy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yondu's POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beginning Note: Just so everyone is on the same page, there are some scary pedophile statistics out there that prove pedophiles are usually a ‘family friend’ who take advantage of young children’s innocence and lack of vigilant parents and children who aren’t properly taught the correct terminology for body parts. And spoilers, this chapter is the big pedophile reveal, I didn’t mean to write this yet, I was going to let the abuse go undetected for another year/chapter, as research shows pedophiles get away with abuse for long periods of time because they are so often ‘trusted’ by the guardians of the child and the child themselves. They ‘train’ their victim to think what they’re doing is ‘normal’ and/or bribe or scare them into not telling. THIS STORY doesn’t go like that. And so, when the opportunity arose for the perfect ‘reveal’ I jumped on it and this chapter grew, like a lot.
> 
> ***FULL SPOILER ON THE CHAPTER AND WHAT IS AND IS NOT DEPICTED BETWEEN LUTZ AND DARCY*******************************************************************************  
So, being sensitive to the topic I'm tackling I just want to warn you that the altercation between child predator and prey does involve a scene where Lutz touches Darcy's body (not really described as touching her private area in detail, just arm and legs and stuff) and he kisses her. (and yes its gross) He also makes her touch his penis but that works out badly for him.
> 
> I feel weird spoiling all this, but its a sensitive topic and I wouldn't want anyone triggered if they've experienced trauma like this in their own life.

Chapter 5 – Daddy  
_1992_  
_Space _  
_Peter Quill Age 12 & Darcy Age 9 _

“Do you believe in God?” Darcy’s whispered voice startled Yondu awake. He immediately cast his eyes around the room to see if anyone had caught him napping, but the rest of the crew’s attention was focused on the vidscreen being projected on the wall. 

They were in between jobs and hard up for entertainment, but being so far out in deep space they were too far away from any planet to find their usual brand of distractions. After listening to Darcy and Peter fight about the best movie of all time for the millionth time, he decided it was time to broaden the kids horizons beyond the shit they remembered from their time on their home planet. 

Thus they were watching some bawdy Xandarian soap opera thing Obio was not so secretly addicted to. More than half the crew showed up to the observation deck when he’d announced they’d be watching the vid after dinner. Yondu was bored within five minutes, but the vid started off with a violent attack from a Exogorth. From that point on Darcy had latched onto his side seeking comfort. The vid got decidedly less scary and more sudsy after that but the girl remained next to him, so he figured he could tough it out and watch the rest of the vid despite his lack of interest. 

A tiny finger poked him in his side reminding him she’d asked him something. He cast his eyes down to the tiny earth girl at his side and she looked up at him imploringly.

“What?” He asked, wiping a hand across his face to wake himself up further.

“Do you believe in God?” Darcy repeated. She averted her eyes like she was ashamed for even asking such a thing. “Peter cursed at me this morning. He said ‘god damn you Darcy’. It was—it wasn’t a big deal, he was annoyed or whatever, but it got me thinking. Is there a god? Am I dammed? Will I go to hell for killing all the people I have? Is there a heaven? Am I already ruined?”

Yondu’s brow furrowed. He didn’t really know what Terran’s religion was all about, neither she nor Peter ever brought it up before. He wondered where this line of questioning was coming from. 

“Do _you_ believe in God?” He questioned.

“I don’t know.” She said in a small voice. “I think my—I think my real daddy did. I know auntie Meredith did, she told me all about angles and heaven. I remember…I don’t remember going to church but I _do_ remember being happy one Sunday when we didn’t have ta.”

“And?” Yondu prompted.

“And I asked Peter about it and he got all huffy with me. Called me a baby and told me to stop being weird.” She pouted and Yondu’s eyes cut across the room to where Peter was sitting front row his eyes bulging at the half naked Xandarians on screen. “He says he believes in god but think he’s an asshole for killing his mom and al l the other bad stuff he lets happens. Like murder and puppies dying.”

Yondu pulled the girl closer, his arm was already around her shoulders but he cuddled her closer and he smiled softly to himself as she wrapped an arm around his waist. She picked at the buttons on his face as she rested her face on his chest. He tried his best to comfort her. “I don’t know much about the God you Terrans came up with, but kid, honestly the religion thing’s a racket. It’s all bullshit if you ask me.”

“Then what created the universe and all the stuff and the people?” Darcy asked. Yondu suppressed a snort. The girl thought he knew everything and she was so damn curious. Almost daily she asked him to explain something he had no idea how to answer. ‘Why is the sky blue?’ ‘What’s is the fuel made out of?’ ‘What makes the moons glow?’ ‘Is this poison?’ ‘Why can’t I pee standing up like the rest of the guys and why is my pee parts called a vagina and Peter’s a penis and who named them that?’ On and on the questions went, and often he was left scrambling for ‘child-friendly’ responses. 

“No one created it.” He answered, “It just evolved.” 

“Evolved from what?” Darcy pressed.

“Dust particles and atoms and shit.” Yondu said gruffly. He wasn’t sure that was right, but he figured it was a better answer than some invisible all powerful ‘god’.

“But how?” Yondu gave her a dry look prepared to make some snappy comment about her shutting up and watching the vid but she looked back at him with her damn big eyes filled with guileless innocence. 

Sometimes it just struck him at how much influence he had over Darcy. How much she trusted him. Loved him. Sure, the same could be said about Peter but the boy was different. He respected Yondu, looked up to him even but he didn’t have confidence in him, he didn’t rely on him like Darcy did. The boy was smart and on his way to being self-sufficient in a way Yondu hoped Darcy would be one day, but also in a way he hoped she never was. 

“I don’t know.” He answered in a gentle voice. He reached up and tapped her on the nose making her smile. “Never much cared to question the universe, I was too busy trying to survive it.”

Darcy gave him a squeeze, the quick hug no doubt her way of giving him a little comfort in response to the reminder of his rough upbringing. He spent his youth as a Kree battle slave not in a classroom learning the building blocks of science. 

“We can look it up later if you want?” He offered. She liked learning and he didn’t want to discourage her, but honestly he sometimes felt inadequate when she asked him things it seemed he ought to know. 

“Oh. Okay.” She agreed softly. She was quiet after that. He ran a hand over her head, smoothing her wild curls down her back. The warmth of her body was part of what lulled him to sleep in the first place, but he didn’t even think of asking her to move. 

His eyes scanned the crowd; still no one was looking at them, not that he would throw Darcy off him if they did. It was common knowledge now; he had a soft spot for the girl. He favored her. He indulged her when she really wanted something, he bought her gifts whenever they were flush with units, and he returned her innocent gestures of affection. 

He supposed practically raising the kid had something to do with how closely he and the girl had bonded. Over the years everyone on the crew had softened to the Terrans, but most of them were helpless when it came to Darcy. She just had a way about her. And he was convinced it wasn’t just her age, it was her spirit. She was a good person, despite her strength and deadly lack of control, she was truly a good person. And being cared for by someone like that had an effect on all of them. 

It filled him with shame when he thought of all the plans he’d had for her when she’d first scrapped to stay aboard the ship. She was so tiny and yet so strong, he’d thought he’d hit the ‘mother-load’ so to speak. He’d planned on molding her into the perfect enforcer, someone who would execute affect his every order without question or dely. Someone who he could rely on because he got her young enough to use her innocence and ignorance against her. 

He’d tried to keep himself at a distance, to keep the relationship between them strictly professional, but then she’d bump her elbow and start blubbering. Or get scared and reach for him to pick her up. Or smile at him madly after mastering a new combat move. Little by little, day by day, she turned all of his plans inside out. 

And then she started to call him ‘daddy’ and he about pissed himself. When he didn’t shut her down, when he let her call him that, and when he responded to it…it was over. He couldn’t lie to himself or the crew or Darcy. They weren’t using her anymore. They wouldn’t mold her to be the Ravagers killer pet Terran. She was something small and delicate to be protected, because what she brought to their ship was not strength. It was love. And yeah, that was sappy bullshit, but it was also true.

Darcy had brought the crew together in a way that they weren’t before she joined them. Before Darcy they were just a crew of thieves, smugglers, criminals, bandits, mercenaries, bounty hunters and pirates. After her, they were more like a family. And those of who didn’t get along with her eventually got killed, exiled, or left the ship of their own free will. Making the crew smaller had its disadvantages to be sure, but it also resulted in them becoming more familiar with each other, and that familiarity lead to trust and eventually abiding loyalty. 

His eyes cut back to the screen as a woman let out a dramatic nasally wail of despair. He watched as a blonde pink skinned Xandarian cried over a hospitalized person wrapped up in gauze. He was totally lost. He tugged gently on a lock of Darcy’s hair asking, “Hey, what’d I miss?” 

“The lady broke up with the man and he got hit by a falling cargo thingy, but it wasn’t an accident. The ladies ex-boyfriend sabotaged the machine to take the guy out of the picture, but she’s pregnant now and doesn’t know who the father is and now he’s in a coma.” Darcy summarized. She took a breath and then said his name in a way that had him wincing as he realized what was coming next. “Yondu?” 

“Yeah.” Yondu sighed in disappointment.

“How can the lady not know which guy got her pregnant?” She asked, then a beat later asked, “Also _how do you_ make a baby?” 

“Kid. Shut up and watch the damn vid.”  
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They were on a decent planet and he commanded the crew to be on their best behavior, they were in Nova jurisdiction and he didn’t want the cops coming down on them before they concluded their business planet side. He left Lutz in charge of overseeing the refueling of the ship while he sent out Tulk and Obio to get supplies, the rest of the crew set about their duties of running a full diagnostic on the ship that had to preformed while stationary and on land.

“Where are we going again?” Darcy chirped as she made a game of hopping from square to square on the grid patterned street. She hadn’t been paying much attention to him when he’d told her they were going out for the day, too busy finishing reading a book Tulk had assigned her. 

Peter shot her a dirty look. “We’re going to get shots Darce.” 

Yondu frowned at the boy. He’d been surly and unpleasant more often lately, everyone wrote off his behavior as teenage angst but it irked him some when he directed his spitefulness at Darcy. Kraglin, who was his number two on the trip, rolled his eyes at Peter. 

Darcy paused mid hop, one foot in the air she turned and looked at him with fearful eyes. “We’re going to get shot? But why? I didn’t do anything wrong.” 

Kraglin reached out and wacked Peter upside the back of his head grumbling to the kid, “Look what ya did.” 

“We’re not shooting you.” Yondu clarified quickly. She didn’t look assured. Her eyes flickered to Peter as if he was the only one she could truly believe.

“Peter?” 

Kraglin shoved the boy forward and he rolled his eyes but moved to put an arm around the girl. “Shots Darce. Like from a doctor so we don’t get sick with some space disease thing. You remember doctor visits don’t you?” 

“And a dentist.” Yondu added, smiling at the pair showing off his own damaged teeth. He didn’t want the pair living life with subpar health care as he had growing up. He had the cash to pay for a real check up and felt it was best to remind them what the lack of it might result in. Even still, Darcy looked a little worried at the prospect.

“Why?” She asked in a whine. “I don’t wanna go and get poked by some weirdo doctor.” 

Peter took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Don’t be afraid, I’m getting poked too. You won’t be alone.” 

“I’m not afraid.” Darcy snapped, but she didn’t let go of Peter’s hand. 

Kraglin moved to be at her side and put a hand on her back, steering them in the right direction as he explained. “We need to get you two looked over because we don’t know much about Terran biology and we don’t want any nasty surprises as you get older. It’s just a check up, nothing to worry about.” 

Darcy’s face scrunched adorably as she looked over at Peter and stared at his face. “Is this because Peter’s face is getting all those chicken pox marks now?” 

Peter blushed beat red and shook off her hand, folding his arms across his chest defensively he muttered at her. “Shut up.”  
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Darcy had injured two nurses and broken the doctor’s nose, but left the building with a clean bill of health. It was clear the girl did not know her own strength, but being an ‘alien’ and a child it was easy for the staff to forgive her, especially given how genuine she was while apologizing. 

While she was picking out a sweet for withstanding the torture of the visit, the doctor took him aside and handed him so info on gamma radiation. Due to the girls abnormal physiology he’d have to do some reading and they’d have to be vigilant and just wait to see if Darcy’s power was affected when she went through the big changes that occurred during female adolescence. 

Peter left blushing and with a pamphlet about ‘puberty’. Apparently human biology wasn’t all that different from Xandarian biology. He and Kraglin were whispering about some of the stuff the boy had coming his way as he body evolved from a child into a man. Yondu was just glad there was a legitimate reason for the kid being an asshole lately. Being in the throes of hormonal changes and sexual awakening/frustration, had to suck and he didn’t envy the kid, but he’d made himself clear that ‘puberty’ was no excuse to continue to be a dick all the time. 

In the end the doctor visit had been been educational in many ways. He’d learned that girls usually went through puberty from ages 10-14, and to be honest he was glad he still had some time before Darcy went through the process of becoming a woman. He couldn’t help but think of her as his little girl and it saddened him a bit to think her time of innocence was coming to a close. 

As they exited the drab building he took in the way Peter walked with his shoulders hunched, like he was no carrying a heavy burden. Darcy, oblivious to her best friends embarrassment, threw her head back to soak in the warm sunshine that greeted them once outside yet again. He looked up and smiled at the clear blue sky. It was a beautiful day.

“Hey,” He said nudging Peter with his elbow. “Want to get some iced creams before y’all go get your teeth scraped clean?” 

“YAY!” Darcy exclaimed joyfully. She grabbed Kraglin’s hand and jumped up and down talking quickly. “We should get different flavors so we can share and also we need sprinkles and that foam stuff that Peter loves. And I want a cone that’s as big as my hand with four scoops and chocolate shavings on top. We can get that right Kraglin?”

Peter looked up at the sound of Darcy’s exciting babbling and smiled. Kraglin, who had a not so secret sweet tooth himself, agreed. “Yes! And we should let you try some hot caremalt sauce. It’s really good especially in combination with sugar foam.”

“Yay!” Darcy bounced and looked at he and Peter over her shoulder. “Isn’t this great?!”

Yondu put a comforting hand on Peter’s shoulder giving the boy a squeeze as he responded. “Yeah kid. Sound’s great.”  
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Tulk got a hot tip about some valuable merchandise being transported to a nearby space port. The Ravagers laid a trap, turning on their distress beacon and powering down the ship, they moved to intercept the ship. They had Darcy record the call for help, her childish voice and excellent acting skills got them the response they wanted.

A voice over the com’s crackled. “Eclector, you hold on tight. We’re going to dock with you now.”

“Hurry, I’m really scared.” Darcy lied flawlessly. They’d claimed to be a disabled civilian tranpo ship, she being the only one conscious after an ‘accident’ left the crew banged up and the ship dead in the water. It was amusing to him how willingly their prey was to get robbed just on Darcy’s word alone. 

“God job kid.” Yondu complimented as he clapped Darcy on the back.

Peter was a ball of energy next to her. “Can I help you sneak aboard to get the goods? Pleaaaaase?” 

Yondu rolled his eyes, “For the last time boy, no!”

Peter pouted and Darcy put a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Don’t feel bad Peter, I’m not allowed to do the stealing either. I have to go and pretend to be scared and confused while everyone else does the fun crime. It’ll be a lot easier with you there with me though.” 

Peter scowled at her and shrugged off her hand. “Yeah, but you’re still a baby and I’m a teenager. I should be allowed to enjoy the thievery too!” 

Darcy frowned at him. “But you’re not a teenager.” She said matter of fact-ly. “You’re only twelve.”

Peter’s nostrils flared. “One year. Big whoop. Point is, I’m older and I know how to use a blaster now--”

Darcy folded her arms across her chest as she interrupted Peter with a pinched expression on her face. “Oooh. A blaster. _Big whoop._” 

Yondu pointedly looked away from her as her voice took on a sharp tone. She was still a little bitter he hadn’t taught her how to use a weapon yet. “I can lift a space ship over my head Peter. Now that’s a skill!”

“Why would you need to lift a space ship? That’s stupid.” Peter retorted flippantly. 

“Why would I need to lift a space ship? To throw at someone who pissed me off. Duh.”Darcy replied smugly. Peter opened his mouth to argue further, but Yondu put an end to it. 

“Hey!” Both children’s eyes turned on him. He pointed at Peter, “Shut up.” 

“But!”

Yondu shook his head, “Shut it. You know the plan. Follow the plan. You two head down to the cargo bay, greet our visitors. Sell the story. Lead them up here, while me and Kraglin lead a team aboard their ship. If all goes to plan, they should leave none the wiser to the missing goods after ‘fixing’ the ship and finding Lutz miraculously alive to pilot us all to the nearest space port to treat out ‘gas leak’ related injuries.”

“Ugh! This is not fair. Why do I have to babysit all the time?” Peter whined. Darcy gave him a hard shove and the boy went flying backwards, slamming into the wall with a loud thud. He really had been in a foul mood ever since Darcy caught him masturbating and gleefully announced it to the entire crew. He’d laughed along with everyone else, but when Darcy cornered him later to ask him about what ‘masturbation’ _was_ and why Peter liked it so much, he found the situation a little less amusing. 

“You’re mean!” She shouted as she stomped off in the direction of the cargo bay.

Yondu glared at the young boy who remained against the wall where Darcy had shoved him. “You deserved that.” 

Peter pouted but his pink cheeks indicated he knew he was being unnecessarily antagonistic towards her. He winced as he stepped off the wall, rubbing at the small of his back. 

“That hurt?” Yondu asked.

“A little.” Peter admitted. 

Yondu smirked. “Good. Use it to sell the whole ‘dropped unconscious’ thing. Follow Darcy’s lead and stick to the plan.” 

“You always take her side.” Peter sulked. 

“That’s not true and you know it boy.” Yondu fired back. “Fair is fair. And you’re being a little shit for no good reason.” 

Peter stared at him defiantly. “Don’t you dare lie to me Yondu, I’m not a baby like Darcy. Everyone knows you like her more than me.”

“Course I do.” Yondu said nonchalantly. He smirked as the boy’s jaw dropped shocked at his admission. “That girl is kind, considerate, and adorable. You’re none of those things.” 

Peter blinked owlishly. For the first time since Yondu had known him the kid seemed to be at a loss of words. Yondu chuckled. “And on a day to day basis, she smells a hell of a lot better too.” 

“That’s not true.” Peter said weakly. He then stuck his nose close to his armpit and took a whiff of himself. He recoiled in disgust. “Okay. Yeah, probably.” 

Yondu fixed Peter with a probing stare. “Let me ask you something boy. If you took out your anger on Kraglin like you do with Darcy, do you think he’d forgive you as easily as she does?” 

“I don’t take out my anger on Darcy.” Peter argued in a disbelieving tone. Yondu just continued to stare at him prompting Peter to stomp his foot and repeat himself in a slightly higher voice, “I don’t! She’s just super annoying sometimes.” 

Kraglin and the boy had grown closer ever since they all discovered Peter was going through puberty. He suspected Kraglin found it amusing to expose the kid to ‘adult’ entertainment, the idea of ‘dating’, and ‘scoring’ with a woman. Also, helping the kid deal with unexpected erections and acne and the like had built some kind of trust. As a result they’d developed a brotherly rapport that often had Kraglin teasing the kid and the kid running to the Xandarian for advice or help dealing with embarrassing situations. 

Yondu shook his head. “Alright, let me ask you somethin’ else then.” He took a step forward and bent down slightly so he was eye to eye with Peter. “Who do you like better, Kraglin or Darcy?” 

“Kraglin.” Peter answered automatically with a stubborn look on his face. Yondu knew he was lying, because as much as the kid tried to deny it, he loved Darcy. It’s why he probably felt comfortable being an asshole to her, he knew she’d take it and love him back anyway. They were family in a way no one on the crew ever would be. 

Yondu tried a different tactic. “And if you had to kill Darcy to save Kraglin’s life, would you be able to shoot her and the face? Just so Kraglin, the man you like better than her, could live?”

The truth played across the boys features. Yondu pressed the advantage. “And if you had to choose between killing Lutz and Darcy?” 

“Darcy.” Peter said quietly. “I’d save Darcy.” 

“Me or Darcy?” 

“Darcy.” He answered in a steady voice. 

Yondu raised one eyebrow at Peter. “So kid, really? Is there anyone on board this crew you like better than her? Is there anyone you love more than her?” 

Peter was quiet for a minute before he slowly nodded his head ‘no’. The boy had a thoughtful look on his face and Yondu figured that was enough progress to get him back in line for the time being. He stood up abruptly then put his hands on the boy’s shoulders, physically turning him to face the hallway he needed him to go down. 

“Good. Now that we’ve established Darcy is everyone’s favorite, get the hell out of here and go do your damn job and keep her company while she stalls our would be saviors so we can rob them blind.” He gave Peter a little shove and the boy started walking.  
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They were in a bar celebrating a job well done. They’d left a handful of the crew behind with the ship to oversee some routine repairs to the landing gear, but other than that the whole gang was getting good and drunk. Yondu himself was very nearly shit faced, but the fact that they’d brought Darcy and Peter along to celebrate had him turning down a free drink from the pretty Ataraxian prostitute he was chatting with. He’d left the kids in Lutz’s capable hands, but he’d seen the man return to the bar two times for drinks and was worried about him getting too drunk to care for them.

“Listen honey, I’ll be right back. Just wanna make sure my crew is square before I devote all my attention back to you.” Yondu gave the woman a heated look and she grinned showing off her bright green teeth.

“Hurry back lover or I’ll get bored and find someone else who can afford my valuable attentions.” The woman grabbed his face and kissed him. She was an experienced woman; she knew just what buttons to push to have him panting for more. But he pulled himself away and turned to find his young charges.

Truthfully he’d been sensing hostility coming from Lutz in the past few months. He had a feeling the man was jealous with how Kraglin and the kids had bonded over the past year or so. He’d had Darcy cut down on her lessons with Lutz so she could shadow Kraglin a bit more, learning how to manage the crew and deal with the money side of things which were some of Kraglin’s unadvertised duties. And before the whole puberty reveal, Lutz was Peter’s go to guy seeing as he was a very easy going man, but things had changed. Yondu just had to make sure Lutz wouldn’t be taking any resentment out on Darcy over the man’s own petty jealousy. 

He navigated the crowed bar of drunken patrons with a wobbly ease. He found Lutz with the kids at the very back, practically shrouded in darkness and hidden from view by an annoyingly placed pillar. He frowned at what he saw. 

Peter was passed out and snoring on the bench across from Lutz and Darcy, an empty glass tucked under one arm and a mustache drawn on his face in pink marker. The kid was obviously drunk. But what really pissed him off was the sight of his adorable Darcy sitting on Lutz’s lap, the man held a glass to her lips and was whispering encouragements as she tilted her head back and guzzled down the liquid as quickly as she could. 

“What the fuck Lutz!” He shouted as he slammed his fists down onto the table. Darcy jumped and Lutz spilled a little of the drink onto her pink shirt but quickly set the glass down. 

Lutz gave him an easy smile. “Hey Captain.”

“What the fuck are you doing?!” Yondu demanded. His eyes ran up and down Darcy’s body looking for…he didn’t even know. Signs of distress? She looked fine. It was a little unnerving to see her sitting on the grown man’s lap though. But they’d always been close, hadn’t they? “Girl, you okay? You feelin’ sick or anything?”

Darcy smiled at him brightly. “I’m super duper daddy! The yellow beer stuff was yucky, but this pink kind is really good. I see why you guys love it so much now.”

He glared at Lutz. “How much has she had? God damn man, she ain’t even 10 years old!”

“Three glasses of the pink beer.” Darcy informed him, holding up three fingers. “But only a sip of the yellow yucky stuff. Peter’s drink tasted like expired toilet water.”

“Whut?” Yondu looked at the glass Lutz had been feeding her and damn, if it wasn’t pink.

Lutz held out the glass to Yondu, giving the man an exaggerated wink. “Yeah Cap,” His voice full of innuendo. “Have a sip of Darcy’s ‘beer’ it’s a really good brew.”

He grabbed the glass out of the man’s hand and sniffed it. It smelled like cherry fizz. He took a tentative sip and pulled back from it with wide eyes. Lutz gave him a pointed look and Yondu started laughing. What Darcy was calling ‘beer’ was actually fizz water. Basically carbonated sugar with food coloring. 

“Isn’t it yummy daddy?” Darcy asked as she eagerly snatched the mug from his hands and took another sip for herself. 

“Yeah Captain, isn’t the ‘beer’ yummy?” Lutz prompted. 

He ignored the question and pointed at Peter with his thumb. “What about him?” 

Lutz looked over at Peter and shrugged. “Oh yeah, I let Peter have the real stuff. He’s drunk as a skunk.” 

Yondu threw his head back and cackled. Served the little shit right for giving Darcy a hard time earlier. “Alright.” Yondu said to himself. “Fair enough.”

He put a hand on Lutz shoulder and then looked into the man’s eyes. He seemed sober enough. “You good to get them back to the ship or should I cut someone off to help ya out?” 

Lutz smiled back at him confidently. “I can handle them Captain.” 

He turned his attention to Darcy and smiled at her, unable to disguise his affection for her in the slightest. “Darlin’.” He leant forward and kissed her on the forehead. “You be a good girl now. Do as Lutz says and help get the boy home safe and sound. He’ll probably end up throwing up before the night is over, so watch out for that.”

Darcy nodded and Yondu gave Lutz a pointed look. The man nodded back respectfully and Yondu smiled confidently. He felt good about himself, he’d done a good thing making sure the kids were alright and he was excited to indulge himself in a woman’s pleasurable touch, guilt free. 

He turned away from the pair to leave, but as he was retreating he heard Darcy use an accusatory tone as she said, “What did you mean when you said you let Peter have the ‘real’ stuff. Lutz. Did you trick me!?”

Yondu was chuckling all the way back to his date. The woman smiled as he approached and he grabbed her hand and kissed it charmingly. Dirty thoughts filled his mind as he mentally shifted gears. “Now. Where were we?”  
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After his expensive night with the Ataraxian prostitute, Yondu slunk back to the ship in the wee hours of the morning. 

It was weird he felt drunker than he should but just chalked it up to the drinks on this planet being more potent than he was used to. In truth he wish he could have stayed the night with the woman, but that would have meant paying extra just to lie next to the woman while he was passed out and he just couldn’t swallow that kind of needless expense. So, on slightly unsteady legs and with a tired and foggy mind, he found his way home. 

He bumped into Tulk as he made his way on board. The man gave him a knowing smile and teased, “Have fun Captain?” 

“A bit.” Yondu quipped. “You?”

“Twice.” Tulk bragged. “I splurged on a pair of twins.” Yondu chuckled at that and they walked companionably side by side on their way to the barracks. He broke off from the man, giving him a half hearted salute as he headed to the Captain’s quarters. 

When he finally made his way inside his private room, he was exhausted. So when he spied a little lump in the middle of his bed he was in no mood to deal with _anything_. He needed to sleep.

“Get out.” He ordered gruffly.

A whimper was his response. He paused, listening to see if Darcy would say anything, but she remained silent. Despite how lax his body felt due to his recent sexploits and the alcohol, he tensed up. “Darcy?” 

“Yeah.” Her muffled voice was brittle, as if she was about to cry.

“What’s wrong?” He demanded in an angry tone. He was still a little drunk and kind of resented having her there. He really didn’t want to deal with soothing the kid’s tender heart after Peter probably hurt her feelings or some shit. He let out a sigh and shrugged off his coat. “You dyin’?” 

“No.” She answered quietly.

“You hurt, bleedin’ or otherwise in need of medical attention?” 

There was a sniffle before she admitted. “No.” 

“Do I want to know why you’re in my bed?” He asked as he pulled his shirt off and threw it carelessly onto the floor.

“No.” She sighed. “You’ll just gets mad.”

“Alright then.” He sat on the bed and kicked off his shoes, ordering, “Shove over.” 

The lump that was Darcy shuffled slowly over to the left side of the bed. He took off his belt and undid the button and zipper of his pants but left them on. He stood to lift the covers and slide underneath them then settled down and closed his eyes. He was concerned about Darcy and why she was in his bed, but his exhaustion left him with little energy. With her assurances that she would live to see tomorrow he was content to leave the issue until then. 

Just as he was starting to relax the Darcy lump shifted closer to him. And then a tiny Darcy sized hand found his own hand and she laced their fingers together. He smiled at the sweet gesture. Using her hand as an anchor he tugged her close to his side and was pleased with how warm she was snuggled up to his side. But there was a tenseness to her body that puzzled him. Did she think he would do something to her because he was drunk? He worried about it, but sleep was pulling at his mind and she wasn’t resisting his hold so he figured it was all in his head.

The room was quiet and dark. He was almost asleep when Darcy’s small voice said, “Daddy?”

“Mmm?” 

“I--I love you.” 

“Love you too darlin’” He responded automatically. 

Darcy fell silent for a long while and he figured she was asleep, and he was thankful for it, but just as he was about to fall asleep himself she spoke up again. “Daddy?” 

“Yuh.” He grunted.

She said something so quietly he couldn’t make it out, but he was too tired to deal with it. So he said, “That’s nice kid. Now, shush. Go to sleep.” 

When she tried to say something more he rolled over making her face his back. Gruffly ordering, “Kid. Fuck off. I don’t care right now.” 

And then he finally fell asleep.  
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When he woke up Darcy was gone from his bed. He took a quick shower and figured he’d find her in the mess hall. Ever since the crew shrunk, they’d been able to upgrade their meals and no longer had to make do with strictly tube related food products. Breakfast and dinner, at Darcy’s insistence, now consisted of actual food that had to be cooked and served and consumed sitting down to be enjoyed. He had to admit, what he once considered a luxury was now a priority. It was all thanks to Darcy.

When he got to the mess he saw that many of the crew looked about as hung over as himself. He was just sitting down to dig in when Kraglin ran over to him. The man had a purpling bruise on one side of his face and a worried expression. 

“She’s gone.” He announced dramatically. Yondu didn’t need him to elaborate; he knew he was talking about Darcy.

“Where?” He demanded as he dropped his fork and stood up.

“She took an M-Ship and Peter’s gone too.” Kraglin informed him; Yondu felt tightness in his chest at the thought of something terrible happen to the pair on their joyride. Peter had only had a handful of lessons flying and Darcy none, he’d made sure that she could navigate but he’d been holding back on letting her learn to fly herself. He’d said it was because she was too young, but really, he just didn’t want her to be able to leave him just yet. 

“Where’s Lutz?” He growled. 

Kraglin’s face contorted in anger. “I found him unconscious on the Observation deck.” The man was holding back on him. Kraglin’s anger tipped his hand. 

“What.” Yondu demanded.

“Cap, Lutz…He had this whole sick set up there and it’s bad. Real bad.” Kraglin ran a hand through his hair, a tell Yondu knew meant the man was nervous about whatever he had to tell him next. 

“Out with it.” He ordered. 

Kraglin was slow to drag his eyes back up to Yondu’s, but once met his gaze was unwavering. “I found a camera, we knew he was videoing his ‘lessons’ with Darcy, but—I went to review the footage, to see if it could tell me what happened and what I found...”

He paused, a thoughtful look on his face. Impatient Yondu reached out and grabbed the man by the collar pulling him across the table uncomfortably. The din in the mess hall grew silent. He knew all eyes were on the pair now, but he didn’t care. His voice nearly broke as he pled with Kraglin.“Tell me.” 

“Lutz. He’s been abusing Darcy. For years, looks like. Dressing her up in these sexualized outfits, rutting up against her under the guise of ‘wrestling’. Doing other things, touching and kissing her. Sick things Cap. Real sick.” 

Yondu let go of Kraglin’s shirt and his legs buckled, he fell, sitting down onto the bench seat underneath him with a thud. “What?” 

Kraglin took a seat across from him. “And what’s worse is he’s been making a profit from it. Broadcasting each session and charging other perverts to watch. Making ‘em pay extra for the privilege of picking out what outfit he made her wear next, what new ‘move’ Lutz would introduce her to.” 

“He raped her?” Yondu asked in a weak voice.

“No.” Kraglin said quickly, “Not from what I could see. I watched the entire video from the last session, and a skimmed a few others. Looks like he was working up to it slowly, seducing her and convincing her it was all a part of her ‘training’ to be a Ravager.” 

Yondu balled his hand up into a fist and slammed it down on the table making a loud ‘bang’. He was so angry he couldn’t speak. Tulk came up from behind him and stood next to him with his arms crossed. 

“Where’s the bastard now?” Tulk asked Kraglin, he obviously had overheard everything. Yondu looked at the man’s face and was relieved to see his friend looked as angry as he felt. He knew Tulk was a good man, well, he was a thief and a scoundrel, but he was as good as someone in their profession could be. And he’d been Darcy’s main teacher for all the basics like reading, math, appreciating literature, history, and shit. He knew he cared about her too. 

Kraglin spoke quickly his words rushed as he explained. “When I found Lutz he was already unconscious, after watching the video I figured out why. He must have been getting frustrated with his access to Darcy getting cut in half lately, what with her shadowing me instead of him. Looks like his subscribers were too. He tried to rape her last night; the boy was there too drunk and unconscious but unable to help for the most part. And when he—when Lutz started really pressing her to-to do _things_ to him and—he touched her vag--”

“Shut the fuck up.” Yondu commanded in a horse voice. “Just tell us where he is.” 

“I locked him up in the brig.” Kraglin answered. “I figured we all deserved a piece of him for what he done.” 

“Good man.” Yondu nodded approvingly. He wanted more than a piece, but he couldn’t get wrapped up in revenge right then. His priority had to be getting the kids back. He could only imagine what Darcy was thinking after…after he let that monster hurt her.

The crew in the mess hall had converged on them all wearing varying expressions of rage. Obio who was a mostly stoic man but had a soft spot for Peter, after his ‘apprenticeship’ with the expert mechanic. He was the first of them to think clearly. “I’ll go and guard him. Revoke his access codes and strip him from ships system so he can’t so much as flush a toilet without permission.” 

“Good.” Yondu said needlessly. Obio was not one for words and was already walking away to do what he’d said. 

Horuz was the next to jump into action. “I’ll go to the bridge. If we’re lucky the kids will have forgotten to disable the tracker and we can just follow the M-Ships signal to wherever they’ve run off to.” 

Vorker followed the man and the group around them dispersed leaving only Yondu and Kraglin and Tulk. Yondu figured the others left to spread the word about Lutz’s perversion and the Terran’s escape. And to ready the ship to take off in a hurry. 

Yondu knew he should feel pissed about being blindsided by Lutz’s true nature, worried about how this would reflect on his leadership skills because he’d liked Lutz a lot. He’d respected the man enough to name the man his second in command for god sakes, but he’d didn’t feel betrayed he just felt stupid.  
Stupid and unworthy of the charges he’d taken on and promised to look after. He felt shame and pain in his heart far greater than when he got exiled by Stakar Ogord from the official Ravagers clan. 

He’d trusted Lutz with Darcy, the most innocent and best thing that had happened to him and his crew, ever. He’d thought Lutz was a tough son of a bitch, with grit and smarts but ultimately a kind soul, forced into the Ravager life due to some bad luck with the law. He didn’t understand how he could be so wrong about someone.

“Cap?” Kraglin said tentatively. “You okay?” 

“Of course he isn’t okay Kraglin.” Tulk admonished. “He just found out that a man he trusted is a pedophile and grooming his daughter, turning her into a fucking porn star.”

That lit something up in his brain. He stood up and looked down at Kraglin expectantly. “Show me the vids.”  
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As they entered the observation deck Yondu felt the ship lift off and begin to climb. Over the speaker Horuz’s voice crackled. “We’ve got a lock on the kids. Looks like they didn’t disable the tracker. We’re in pursuit now.”

That was good. He was glad his men were competent enough to know what to do without out having to be explicitly told. Left him free to focus on discovering just how sick and twisted Lutz really was and what he’d been doing to his baby girl, right under his fucking nose. 

Kraglin seemed nervous as he pulled up the screen and tilted the monitor so Yondu and Tulk could see. He appreciated that the man didn’t try to talk him out of watching what was sure to be a horrific sight, but one he needed to bear witness to. 

“I’ll start with the one from last night.” Kraglin informed them as the screen went blank and then flickered to life. 

It showed Lutz’s face two feet from the camera, he grinned and spoke to the lens with charm oozing out his every pore. “Well, tonight’s the big night folks. I just want to thank my loyal viewers for continuing to bear with me as my access to the lovely Darcy has been limited lately. I know many of you have become big fans over the past years and I appreciate the loyalty.”

Lutz backed up and held up a vial to the camera. “I want to especially thank one loyal contributor who sent me this magic night-night juice for our baby girl to drink tonight. I’ll be slipping it into her drink as our crew enjoys some drunken revelry this evening. Get her nice and relaxed for her big de-flowering.”

Lutz’s face filled the screen again, getting uncomfortably close to the camera causing Kraglin and Tulk to pull back in disgust, but Yondu leaned forward staring into the man’s eyes. Lutz spoke with an easy smile on his deceptively handsome face, but there was something in his eyes. A mixture of fear and excitement that the man just couldn’t hide. Now that Yondu knew what he was looking for, he felt like it was staring him in the face. .

“Now, I know many of you wish you could be in my position, but I won’t lie I’m glad it’s me and not you. You all know how much I love Darcy, she’s adorable and sweet and so very trusting. And obedient. Just know that when I’m touching her soft skin, easing open her little legs so that I can kiss and claim the prize hidden inside the apex of her thighs, I’ll be doing it for all of you just as much as myself. And if you’ve purchased the neural transmitter and subscribed, when I’m inside her you’ll feel like you are too.” He flashed a toothy grin and pushed his hair back turning his head and showing off the metal port that was hidden behind his ear. 

“Remember it’s not too late to join in on the ‘Darcy Experience’ as long as you already have a neural transmitter embedded in your person you can join the party at any time and I encourage you to do so! This is a once in a lifetime offer. I know those of you who are loyal viewers to her weekly shows know how special she is, how much power she has in those tiny delicate hands of hers. Watching her surrender to me will be amazing entertainment, but entering the VR uplink and pretending the little powerhouse is surrendering to you? Now that’s what I call a good time and totally worth the add on cost.”

“Fuckin’ shit.” Tulk cursed, “Fucking salesman bullshit mother fucker.” 

Kraglin seemed depressed as he added. “I—it was still transmitting when I found Lutz. He had two thousand or so people signed in and plugged in to ‘experience’ the ‘event’ and--”

“Rape.” Yondu interjected. “Two thousand perverts signed up and plugged in to witness Darcy’s rape.” 

Kraglin nodded, not disagreeing. “Yeah. Well, when I came in only ‘bout a hundred were still watching, waiting to see what would happen next.” 

“You know who they are?” Yondu asked. Silently he vowed he would track them all down. Every damn one. 

“No.” He looked thoughtful, “But we’re still signed into Lutz’s user account and because he has all their info for billing purposes, we could, well more like Vorker or Horuz could track them down via the financals. If, that was something we wanted to do.” 

“It is.” Tulk affirmed. “It’s something we want very badly.” Yondu looked over at Tulk and suddenly remembered Tulk had had a son once upon a time. If he recalled correctly the kid had died when one of Tulk’s enemies had tried to blow him up, but instead murdered his wife and child. He had no doubt that Tulk would be on board for his plan to track down and kill the perverts who paid for the privilege of watching Darcy get raped. 

Kraglin fast forwarded the video a bit, giving them a look as he did so, explaining. “He just sort of talks Darcy up for a while, waxing poetic about the smell of her hair and shit. He mentions Peter too, something about him being up for auction if the bidding made it worth his while.” When Lutz’s face finally disappeared from the screen he paused it and then played it. 

The camera was positioned probably where it still was now. Yondu’s eyes flickered over to the tripod, it was placed so it got the whole of the room in frame. His eyes drifted down to the bright blue mat and finally noticed the smear of blood in the center of it. 

“You said he didn’t rape her, right?” Yondu asked looking to Kraglin for confirmation. 

“No.” Kraglin answered in a soft tone. “I promise.” 

Yondu nodded and finally looked back at the screen. Darcy was carrying Peter’s large frame in her tiny arms, the visual was amusing but Yondu remained stoic as he watched the scene unfold. She moved to set him down on the mat, but Lutz’s voice called out from off camera. “Wait, don’t--put him down next to the mat, just to the left of it.” 

Darcy frowned down at the floor. “But he’ll be uncomfortable.” 

Lutz came into frame and moved to Darcy’s side and pulled off her hat making her smile up at him. He ran a hand through her dark hair, smoothing out what the hat had flattened before he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Boy drank, now he needs to endure the consequences of said activity. Put him on the floor so he can learn his lesson.” 

Darcy bent down to do what she was told but then froze before setting Peter down. She looked up at Lutz like something just occurred to her and asked. “Wait. Why are we in here again? Why not just put him to bed in the barracks?”

Lutz squat down next to Darcy copying her posture. He put a hand on her back and one on her arm, guiding her to follow through with putting Peter down even as he explained, “Trust me no one would appreciate us putting a drunken pre-teen boy in the communal barracks. Especially if he ends vomiting like the Captain predicted. Now, make sure he’s on his side, yes like that, now if he hurls, it’ll go on the floor and he won’t choke on it.” 

Darcy’s eyes got real wide as Lutz stood back up. “He could choke and die on his throw up?”

Lutz extended a hand down to her, helping her up to her feet. He smiled at her reassuringly, and then tapped her on the tip of her nose making her grin. “Not with us looking out for him all night he won’t.” 

She frowned at that. “Oh man, I didn’t think we were gonna have to sleep here with him.” She pouted, “I’ll go and get us some pillows and stuffs.” She turned as if to leave but Lutz grabbed her arm spinning her in the circle. 

“Not necessary my pretty girl. I’ve got that all covered.” He leant down and sniffed her neck making her giggle before lowering himself to sniff playfully at the front of her shirt. It was then that Yondu noticed there was a large stain on the pink button up. “And since all your other clothes are in the laundry, and you were silly and spilled your drink all over yourself making you sticky and stinky--”

Darcy poked him in the chest as she gave him an affectionate stink eye. “Hey, I didn’t spill anythings. You bumpeded into my arm. Tooootally your fault.” 

Lutz shrugged, “Don’t matter does it? You’re in need of new clothes, and now you’ll have to resort to wearing what was to be next week’s training outfit.” 

Darcy pursed her lips as Lutz walked away, she didn’t look happy about being forced to wear whatever Lutz had planned but to Yondu’s horror she didn’t even need to be told what to do. She just began stripping off her clothes as if getting naked in front of the grown man was a common occurrence. Yondu’s heart clenched as he realized, maybe it was. 

Lutz’s back blocked the shot as he instructed. “Panties too pretty girl.” 

The three of them watched in tense silence as Lutz blocked the audiences view as he dressed Darcy. Yondu knew what he was doing, building the anticipation and further captivating his audience, and he was disgusted by it. 

Fully clothed once again Lutz moved out of the way to reveal Darcy now wore a baby pink two piece lingerie set with matching socks and shoes. Lutz smiled at the result and stroked her cheek. “There, pretty as a picture.” 

Then Lutz frowned as if displeased by something. Yondu knew from the way the man was overacting it was all ruse. He grit his teeth as Lutz moved to stand behind her saying her hair would be a mess if he didn’t do something about it. Darcy stared straight ahead almost directly at the camera as Lutz brushed her hair and fashioned it into pigtails, tied off with matching pink bows. 

“This is sick.” Tulk whispered. Neither he nor Kraglin said anything to agree with his sentiment. They didn’t have to. They all knew what Lutz was doing. Getting her ready for her the ‘Darcy Experience’. 

“Someone paid two thousand units just to pick out the outfit she’s wearing.” Kraglin informed them. He pointed to the screen, tapping on one of the viewers names labled _Contributer 489_. “This guy, he’s a big fan. Paid almost ten thousand units over the course of Lutz’s broadcast by the end of the night. He was also one of the one’s waiting around even after Darcy left Lutz unconscious on the floor.” 

He heard what Kraglin was saying and knew it was important but couldn’t focus on it. The Darcy on screen was looking sleepy, yawning and stretching her arm up high above her head, unknowingly showing off for her audience. 

“You sleepy pretty girl?” Lutz asked. 

“Yeah.” She answered.

“Why don’t you sit down on the mat?” Lutz suggested, “I’ll go get a pillow and something to drink. I’m thirsty, you thirsty?” 

“I’m mmno.” She responded as she got down on the mat and sat cross legged in the middle. She stared into space unseeingly. 

“What do you think he dosed her with?” Yondu asked. 

“They—the viewers, mention it in the chat at the beginning of the broadcast, it was some long chemical word. I looked it up. It’s basically muscle relaxers and some other thing that’s meant to lower one’s inhibitions, making them pliable to suggestion.” Kraglin answered.

“Fucking monsters.” Tulk cursed. Yondu cast the man a quick glance. Tulk looked to be getting angrier and angrier. 

Yondu leaned forward and hit pause on the vid. Turning to Tulk he put a hand on the man’s shoulder. “Go to the bridge and help Horuz track the ship the kids stole.” 

“I’m fine.” Tulk shook his head. “I can handle this.” 

“You don’t have to.” Yondu said quietly. He met the other man’s eyes and could see nothing but coiled rage in them. “Go do something to help us get her back, and save her.” 

Tulk exploded, “SAVE HER?! SHE’S BEEN IN DANGER THIS WHOLE TIME AND WE DIDN’T KNOW! You think we’ll be saving her when we find her? We should have left Darcy and the boy back on Krylor with the other kid. We’ve done nothing but bring her into contact with this manipulative evil bastard and present her with opportunity to kill for us.” 

He was referring to Halfnut, Huhtar and Gef whom Darcy had killed when she heard the men plotting to steal all the units and the ship out from under them. Abandon the rest of them to face the Nova, taking the fall for a crime they all committed. She’d brutally murdered the men, not one even leaving a mark on her though two out of the three tried to fight back. Apparently his former crew members were concerned that he was ‘going soft’ over the little Terrans and they knew when it was smart to cut and run, they just didn’t account for Darcy’s ferocity in defending the Ravagers from their treachery. He’d been proud of Darcy and her actions that day. Having Tulk throw them in his face was rough, only because in his heart he partially agreed with the man. 

He’d convinced himself he was helping make Darcy stronger. Make Peter tougher. 

“We’re the worst thing that’s ever happened to that girl.” Tulk concluded. Yondu clenched his jaw tightly staring the man down. In response he seemed to deflate, the anger leaving his body now that he’d said his peace, leaving only despair in its wake. 

“Go to the bridge.” Yondu ordered. “Help find her.” 

Tulk nodded and got up and left the room. 

Yondu leaned forward and hit play.  
.  
.  
.  
Lutz started his seduction by offering to massage Darcy’s tense muscles. Which was bullshit. The kid looked high and her body lax in a way that was obvious to anyone looking at her. When he started kissing her neck and nibbling on her shoulders she seemed to sense something was wrong.

Her brow furrowed and she frowned. “What’re ya doin’?”

“Helping you relax pretty girl.” Lutz answered in a honeyed voice. He then pulled her back flush with his chest and moved her head so she was looking up at him. Then he swooped down and kissed her. 

Darcy didn’t respond for a few seconds but then what was happening seemed to register and she made a noise of protest and pulled away from him, falling away from him onto her front face down on the mat. She tilted her head and uncoordinatedly flopped onto her back so she could look at him properly. “What—why—you kissing me? Wha?”

Lutz ran his hand up her leg slowly as he crawled forward on the floor languidly chasing after her until he loomed over her, propped up by one hand as his other groped its way up her body. He cupped her face in his hand and declared sincerely, “I love you Darcy.” 

Darcy smiled up at him dopily, replying easily. “I loves you too Lutz.” 

He swooped down and kissed her again the intensity of the action, the probing tongue and force he was using was obvious. This time her protest was instant. She got one hand threaded into his hair and yanked his head back hard, breaking the contact of their lips. 

“Why are ya doin’ this?” Darcy demanded in a strong voice. Lutz hand lipped inside the frilly shorts she wore and her face changed into an expression of surprise then confusion. Her voice became dreamy as she stated, “I don’t under-stands what is-s-s gon’ on.” 

Lutz turned his head and kissed the wrist of the hand she still had pulling his hair. When he licked her pulse point she let go of his hair and her arm fell around the back of his neck, as if she was holding on to him. He looked down at her smiled victoriously. “That’s my good girl. You just lie back and let me do all the work.” 

Darcy grabbed at the hand he had in her shorts and pulled it free from her person, she still didn’t look lucid, but her hands were as strong as ever. “I don’t under-stands.” She repeated, holding his hand away from her body with a deadly tight grip. 

Lutz looked up at the camera and seemingly spoke directly to the audience only he knew was watching. “Guess I’m a little eager huh? Came on too strong? Time to slow things down and make my baby _want_ to yield to me.” 

“Wha?” Darcy said sounding confused.

Lutz turned his attention back down to her. Slowly, with telegraphed movement, he lowered his face until his lips were inches from her own, but not touching. “I can’t make you do something you don’t want to do Darcy.” He whispered, “You’re too strong and too special to me.” 

He stuck his tongue out and got a quick swipe at her lips, tickling her making her giggle. He grinned. “You love me don’t you Darcy?” 

“I…” She didn’t look as sure as she did before. “I’m con-foozed. An’ my tongue fells heavy an’ weird.” 

“Think of this as another lesson.” Lutz advised. Yondu watched the hand that Darcy held trapped, aloft and away from her body, Lutz jerked in her grip trying to free himself but Darcy’s hold only tightened. He watched in satisfaction as the man winced at the action. 

“I’m not going to hurt you.” Lutz promised. He pressed a kiss to her cheek and whispered in her ear, “I just here to teach you how to feel good.” 

With a quiver in her voice, Darcy asked. “This a lessons?” She sounded weaker than before and for Yondu the vulnerability in her voice was like a gut punch.

“Yes.” Lutz confirmed. “This is a lesson. You know Yondu wants you to learn. He sent you to learn from me. Your daddy loves you very much. That’s why he sent me. To be with you. To teach you how to be what a man wants. To be a woman, like the prostitutes Yondu is so fond of fucking.” 

“This is a…puberty thingy?” Darcy asked her voice betraying every ounce of her innocence, she was buying what Lutz was selling. Yondu for his part was infuriated that Lutz would invoke his name and use his relationship with Darcy against her. 

“Not much more of this, Cap..” Kraglin warned, “Hang in there. Spoiler, Darcy fucks him up.” 

Yondu nodded but didn’t dare look away from the screen. Lutz was nodding. He gestured with his head over to the still sleeping Peter. “See, even Petey’s here. I know you’re scared. Change is scary. But the Captain said it was okay. You don’t have to be nervous baby, I’m here for you. We’re all here for you.” 

Darcy let his hand go and the man sighed in relief, rotating his wrist a few times to get the blood flowing again. He looked down at her with a considering look on his face then sat up fully. “I’m going to get on top of you and show you something, okay baby?” 

“Okay.” Darcy agreed weakly. Moving slowly Lutz climbed on top of Darcy’s small body, aligning their pelvis’s he bracketed her legs with his own and just sat back on his haunches pinning her thighs to the ground with his bulk. 

“Am I crushing you pretty girl? You comfortable?” Lutz asked. Darcy made a wordless noise and he took it as a signal to go ahead. He ran his fingertips down her bare arm and picked up her hand in his own. He bent his head to kiss her knuckles while he unbuttoned his pants with his other one. Then the asshole pulled his pitiful dick out. 

Yondu swallowed thickly. Kraglin put a hand on his arm and counseled him quietly, “Wait for it.” 

Lutz guided Darcy’s hand to his mouth he licked her palm then guided it to his genitals. Carefully he coached her to wrap her fingers around the member until she could feel the full weight of it against her skin. In a silky voice Lutz instructed, “Now baby, you feel that? That is my daddy stick. You’re going to learn how to get it nice and wet with your mouth so I can slide it into your mommy hole—hurh!” Lutz voice broke off as he let out a high pitched noise of distress. 

“Fucker didn’t learn his lesson from when she squeezed his wrist, and then the moron gave her his dick?” Kraglin jeered. “Idiot.” 

Darcy was squeezing Lutz’s dick with her super strength. A grin made a brief appearance on his face as he noticed she was digging her sharp little nails into the tender flesh. Quietly he cheered, “That’s my girl.” 

“Daddy sticks?” Darcy repeated sounding confused.

Voice several octaves higher than before, Lutz tried to get her to let go, but like before Darcy was not in her right mind but still just as strong as ever. “Pre-pretty girl. Let-let go. Just a little, you’re—you’re hurting me baby.” 

Darcy didn’t appear to be processing what he was saying but when he tried to pull away from her, she tightened her hold on his junk and Lutz let out a cry of pain. “Don’ leaves me.” 

A second later he was pleading with her. “Please! Please Darcy, baby, honey girl. Ease up. Let go.” 

He reached out a shaking hand to her arm and tried to run his fingers up and down skin, to soothe her or distract her, Yondu didn’t know, but either way the action didn’t work. And then all of a sudden a large belch startled Lutz into jerking away from Darcy involuntarily, which pulled painfully at his dick yet again. Making Lutz cry out. 

Right behind the couple on the mat Peter woke up. “Whaz happen’?” He drawled as he rolled over and then got up on his hands and knees and proceeded to vomit all over the floor. Yondu’s eyes flickered away from the screen to the wet patch on the floor. 

“When I first came in I checked to see if Lutz was alive, then I sprayed the vomit getting rid of it, before noticing the camera. That’s when I started playing the vids and investigating what all had happened and found out the truth.” Kraglin informed him.

Yondu looked over at Kraglin and felt a little spark of hope flare up in his chest. Darcy had been hurt to be sure, but she wasn’t raped and if a little groping and drugged kissing was the worst thing that happened to her, he didn’t feel like he’d completely failed her. With a small grin he asked Kraglin, “Is she gonna rip his dick off?” 

Kraglin exhaled in amusement, but his face grew somber quickly. “Just keep watching.” 

Lutz and Darcy remained frozen and locked together by his tender member while Peter purged himself of the alcohol and bile. Once he was done, he turned his head and looked over at the pair on the mat. Yondu watched as Peter’s face went pale. He felt bad that the boy had to see such a despicable sight, but also glad someone was there when Darcy needed them most. 

“What the fuck?” Peter panted. He staggered as he got to his feet, just barely managing to avoid slipping on his own pool of vomit. “What are you doing?”He demanded.

Lutz’s eyes were desperate now, “Peter!” He exclaimed sounding relieved. “You’re awake. Thank god. Darcy’s a little out of her mind and won’t let go of my dick. Help!” 

Peter looked at the pair with a look of disgust on his face. “What the fuck is your dick doing out of your pants Lutz?” 

“Yes!” Yondu cheered. Out of all the questions he could have asked, out of all the things in that moment he could have focused on, Peter picked the one that couldn’t be explained away by the smooth talking pedophile. 

“She attacked me.” Lutz lied. “She’s on something. It’s not her fault, obviously I don’t blame her, but I am in a tricky situation and would love it if you could lend a hand and _free me!_” 

“Darcy let go of his dick.” Peter said simply. She didn’t respond to him. She didn’t even look aware that Peter was up and conscious, her eyes were focused on Lutz’s face. 

But she must have registered the sound of someone speaking because she asked in her slurred speech, “What I do wit yer daddy stick again? I furgot.” 

“What’s she talking about?” Peter questioned.

“I have no idea man!” Lutz said in a panicked tone. “Just help me!” 

“Kin you go bac’ ta kissin’ on me? That was kinda nice.” Darcy said as her head lolled to the side, her eyes finally landing on Peter making a rubbery smile spread across her face. “Peter! Hi-eeee. Lutz is gon teach me how ta be a mommy wit his stick.” She shook the hand that was clamped down on Lutz’s dick as if illustrating what she was referring to. 

Peter’s face fell. His eyes darted over to Lutz and there was an accusation written across his face. Lutz started making excuses before the kid said a word.

“Peter, I know how it sounds, I know what it looks like, but you’re wrong. She’s wrong. This is all some big misunderstanding. You know me. I train with her here all the time. Yondu knows about it. You know about it. I’m just following his instructions..” 

“What?” Peter said sounding shocked. “Yondu told you to drug Darcy and stick your dick in her face?” 

“Am I suppose’d to..daddy stick mah face?” Darcy tried to contribute to the conversation. But her words just proved to incense Peter. “Hows?”

Peter glared at Lutz his eyes aglow with rage. “I’m going to kill you.” 

But then Darcy unceremoniously let go of Lutz’s dick to wipe at her nose as she sniffed some snot back. The second he was free Lutz leapt off of Darcy and lunged for something out of frame of the camera. Peter darted forward and pulled Darcy up into a sitting position. “Darce, Darcy, can you—are you okay?” 

In response to Peter’s frantic concern, Darcy reached up and pressed her finger onto Peter’s nose and made a ‘boop’ noise. And then Lutz walked back into frame with a gun pointed at Peter’s head. 

“Back away from her Peter.” Lutz commanded. 

“No.” Peter retorted stubbornly, his arms wrapping more securely around the girls shoulders. 

“Kid.” Lutz told him, “I don’t want to shoot you, but I will. And then I’ll have sex with Darcy in the warm pool of your blood.” 

Peter’s face screwed up in disgust. “Ew.” 

Lutz took a step towards them, “C’mon kid. Be smart about this. I’ve got some cuffs right here,” He tossed the handcuffs onto the floor next to Peter. “Put them on, let me gag you, and I’ll let you live.” 

Peter picked up the cuffs and threw them at Lutz’s face. “Fuck you man!” 

“Fine.” Lutz growled as he stepped even closer, “Have it your wa—huhrf.” When Lutz stepped forward he inadvertently moved close enough for Darcy to kick his legs out from underneath him. The man landed flat on his back, the air being visibly knocked out of him. 

With a slightly drunk and angry look on her face, Darcy crawled forward towards the prone man. “Don’ be mean ta mah Peterrrrrr.” She turned the last syllable of Peter’s name into a growl as she grabbed Lutz’s leg and pulled him closer to her. 

Lutz raised the gun whispered, “I’m sorry.” And then Lutz shot Darcy in the chest. 

She didn’t even flinch. Reaching out she wacked the weapon out Lutz’s hand and then slammed a fist down onto Lutz’s chest making him wheeze.

“That hurted.” She whined as she looked down at her injured chest. There was a little dark discoloration but the point blank shot hadn’t damaged pierce her skin at all. 

“How the hell…?” Yondu wondered aloud.

“Baby,” Lutz voice turned on a dime, he slipped back into that silky seduction timber he was using at the beginning of the vid. “Honey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean ta shoot you. I love you baby. I love you so much that I planned all this just so I could be with you. I just wanted to be with you. Yondu said it was okay, you trust him, you know you can trust me. Forgive me?” 

“You’re a sick fuck!” Peter exclaimed as he got up and kicked Lutz in the side. Lutz used the contact to grab onto Peter’s leg and yank the young man down in much the same fashion as Darcy had done to him moments earlier. 

Darcy lurched forward. Practically laying her body on top of Lutz’s she surprised everyone by pressing her cheek to the older man’s chest and frowning at Peter. Holding out a hand in his direction she chastised the younger male. “No don’t hurted him too. He loves me and mah face and I loved his face. He’s gard to me. Gard to you too. Our favorite one ‘members?”

Lutz began to stroke Darcy’s hair in a calming fashion, the hint of a victorious smirk on his face. Yondu paled, it was obvious that the extensive grooming he had done on Darcy was playing into Lutz’s favor. “That’s right baby. I’m the nice one. I bought you clothes and candies. I taught you how to fight so you can win when a bad man tries to hurt you because I love you and I don’t want anyone to hurt you ever. I’m your protector Darcy. You can trust me. I love you. And you love me. And we want to be together. _You want to be with me._” 

“Is wants to be with you.” Darcy repeated obediently if not sloppily. It was as if Lutz had the power to incept the idea directly into her brain. 

“You don’t know what you’re saying Darcy.” Peter warned as he kicked Lutz with his free leg, trying to free himself from the man’s unyielding grasp. This prompted Lutz to pull a knife out of his wristband and stab Peter in the leg. 

The pre-teen cried out, sitting up and clutching at his leg as blood gushed forth.

“I don’t think he hit an artery Captain.” Kraglin said sounding uncertain. Yondu was sure the placement was off, but the amount of blood that spurted out of the wound concerned him. He grunted in response and let his eyes flicker to the bloody mat for only a second. To him, it was clear what was coming next. 

Lutz’s bloody act of violence against Peter swayed Darcy’s loyalties for good. She let out a growl and grabbed the knife out of Lutz’s hand throwing it aggressively at the far wall. When she got up on her hands and knees and loomed over Lutz Yondu could see her eyes practically glowing green as she screamed in the man’s face, “DONUT HURT PETERS!” 

Lutz looked helpless and terrified as Darcy slammed her forehead down into Lutz’s face breaking his nose. Then she grabbed him by the hair and slammed his head into the ground, knocking him unconscious. She stared at him uncertainly for a second as if waiting for Lutz to move or show signs of life, but a whimper had her attentions turning elsewhere. 

Darcy crawled off of Lutz’s body and over to Peter’s side. 

“Is you hurted bad?” She asked as Peter pulled the belt from out of his pants and made himself a tourniquet.

“Yes it’s bad!” Peter whined, “I just got stabbed!”

“Donut yell at me.” Darcy whined. She put a hand to her head murmuring, “Everythin’ is weird. And my tongue too bigs for mah mouth words. Thinking, slow? Wrong.” 

Peter looked at Darcy blankly for a second before declaring, “Dude, you’re fucked up.” 

“I’s hadded a pinkened beers.” She then smiled holding up three fingers. “Free beers.” 

“Well that explains how this asshat obviously drugged you.” Peter said flatly. He then looked over at Lutz, then at the door. “We got to get out of here.” 

“I’s kin get us a growned up.” Darcy volunteered. 

“No!” Peter exclaimed grabbing her hand so she wouldn’t get up and leave. “You heard that asshole. Whatever sick fantasy this fuck was trying to do with you, Yondu’s in on it.” 

“What!” Yondu exclaimed angrily. 

“Yeah.” Kraglin said in a defeated voice. “Peter get’s kind of paranoid after uh, all that.” 

“We can’t trust Yondu.” Peter spoke seriously to Darcy, “We can only trust each other.” 

Darcy made a “Psssh” noise and waved her hand dismissively at Peter. “S’not true.” 

“Darcy!” Peter shouted. “Look at what you’re wearing! Think about what almost just happened. That guy wanted to have sex with you! AND YOU’RE JUST A KID! He is sick. And he said Yondu was in on it. Which means the rest of the crew could be too.” Peter looked around the room as if waiting for someone to jump out and come capture them. “We have to get the fuck off the ship.” He mumbled. 

“No.” Darcy said plainly. She then waved her hand gesturing to Peter’s body and she repeated, “No. Alls the no’s.” 

Peter grabbed Darcy’s face in his hands and stared into her eyes pleadingly. “Darcy. Darce. I love you. And not some fucked up sex fantasy bullshit love, but like, I love you. You are my family and I would die for you.” 

Darcy’s expression took on an ‘aww’ quality and Yondu silently wondered how much of what was happening she would remember, or rather remember correctly. 

“I’s love you mah family too.” She slurred back in as much of a heartfelt fashion as she was currently capable of.

“Then trust me.” Peter begged. “Help me get to one of the M-Ships and I’ll fly us out of here.” 

Darcy’s loving expression melted away. “No’s!” She insisted. “We’s find-ed a grown up. Tattles on Lutz. Byes bye to him. Daddy gives us iced creams for being good girls.”

“Darce.” Peter’s hands fell away from her face, “We can’t trust Yondu.” 

“We’s can.” Darcy countered. 

Peter shook his head, “I’m not fighting with you about this.” He put his hand on her shoulder and bent his good leg, trying to get his feet underneath himself again. “Just help me up.” 

“No.” Darcy said plainly. She then slipped free of Peter’s arm and crab walked away from him. She staggered to her own feet as Peter demanded she return and help him up so he could handle things. 

Waving a finger at Peter Darcy’s face took on a stubborn expression. “No. Peters. I’m gon’ get—go gets daddy an’ he bye bye Lutz and we gets iced creams. You’ll sees I’m right. I got this.” 

Peter began shouting after her as Darcy left the room but she ignored him. Yondu’s eyes flickered over to the time code, he wasn’t certain when he returned to the ship but he was pretty sure it was around then. He and Kraglin watched as Peter started cursing Darcy, then shifted to cursing Lutz, then life, the universe, and finally God.

After several minutes of ranting into the air, Peter turned his attention to the door. Talking to himself he mused, “I could make it to the door. This place is sound proofed, but if I make it to the door and start yelling someone will come.” His eyes slid back over to the prone Lutz. “But if this whole thing was a set up. If the others are in on it, they’ll come running to help you and not me.” 

Peter stared at the pedophile for a long minute before shrugging to himself and saying, “Fuck it then.” 

He dragged himself over to Lutz and patted the man down for any more weapons. Finding none, he made a fist and started wailing on the man. Punching him in the face, gut, dick every part of him he could reach. The longer he beat the prone man the more angry he seemed to become. 

But eventually, the kid grew tired. Probably from a combination of things, the adrenaline crash, the drink, the blood loss, it all lead to the kid letting out a warning ‘whoa’ before he pitched over and passed out next to Darcy’s abuser. 

Kraglin reached forward and fast forward the vid. “They lay like that for about half an hour.” 

He hit pause and then play as Darcy came back on screen. She looked sad and maybe like she’d been crying. Yondu felt his stomach drop as he remembered the last thing he’d said to her. “She was in my bed when I came back to the ship.” He confessed. “I was drunk and exhausted, she tried to tell me somethin’ and I shut her down. Told her to fuck off.” 

Kraglin’s head fell at Yondu’s admission even as he defended his superior’s actions. “Weren’t your fault Cap. You couldn’t have known all, this, happened.” 

Yondu slammed his hand down on the consol the vid screen was stationed on. “BUT I SHOULD HAVE!” 

They watched the rest of the video in silence. Darcy tried to rouse Peter but couldn’t, so she picked the boy up awkwardly in her arms and started carrying him to the door. When she accidently wacked his leg into it and the boy screamed and woke. They were too far away from the camera to hear what they were saying, but he could imagine.

“Fuck.” He quietly cursed.

“Fuck.” Kraglin said in agreement.

Yondu turned and glared, “This means were going to have to keep Lutz alive until we find them. So we can explain that we had nothing to do with all this pedophile shit.” 

“Fuck.” Kraglin said in dawning realization. 

“Fuck.” Yondu cursed, just for lack of anything else to say.  
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He and Kraglin went up to the bridge to find Tulk missing. But Horuz was there and he didn’t look optimistic about finding the kids. Apparently the tracker was active, until it wasn’t. They only had a hint of where the kids were headed. Finding them wouldn’t be impossible, but without the tracker it would harder and take longer.

A little while later, Tulk showed back up on the bridge. They told him the bad news and he frowned, walking over to the navigation console. He took one look at it and snorted. When he regarded them all with a shit eating grin. “I know where they’re going.” 

“Where?” Yondu demanded. 

“Think about it, the kids only knew a few people in the universe.” Tulk informed them. “And the only friend they’ve made besides each other is on…”

“Krylor.” Kraglin finished for him. Tulk nodded. 

“FUCK!” Yondu yelled. He was frustrated that he didn’t figure it out. Everyone stared at him due to the outburst but he just waved his hand and ordered, “Well, what the fuck you waiting for? Take us to Krylor! Now!”

The crew scrambled to comply and Yondu stalked off to his room. He needed to be alone.  
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Prostitute Yondu Spent the Night With  


Outfit Darcy Wears to the Bar for Celebration  


Pedophile Fantasy Outfit  


New Revised Roster *(Addition of Darcy & Peter to the crew basically helped separate some of the traitors in the crew that we saw in Guardians 2 movie, Red X means Darcy killed them Yellow means they left the crew of their own free will)  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...I have plans for this fic. I'm not promising a 75 chapter epic like my other story "Bed Surfing" but when I started writing that I never intended that story to turn out like it did, so who knows? All I can say is that this is going someplace. And I just want to point out that another Marvel Character is out and about in space at this time (the 90's) according to the MCU timeline and I'm dabbling with the idea of letting that character meet this version of Darcy. …also the actor who played TULK was on sons of anarchy and I liked that show and the actor, so that’s why his role is growing.
> 
> So, please let me know in the comments what you thought of the chapter as I know this one was very different/longer than all the others. I'm eager to hear what you thought about it. Even if it's only to tell me it was 'dope' or 'gross' or I did a bad job handling the pedophile confrontation.

**Author's Note:**

> Have you hit the Kudos button yet?  
Have you hit the Kudos button yet?  
Have you hit the Kudos button yet?  
Have you hit the Kudos button yet?  
Have you hit the Kudos button yet?  
Have you hit the Kudos button yet?
> 
> Also,
> 
> If you liked the chapter feel free to leave a comment below and let me know!


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